Chennai, Jul 11 (IANS): Pointing to decision of many states against holding final semester examinations in colleges, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami urged the Centre to give states the freedom to design their own assessment metrics of students.

In a letter to Union Human Resources Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Friday, Palaniswami said, "Many states have taken decision not to conduct the final semester examinations. To ensure career opportunities, future prospects and to safeguard the principles of health, safety, fair and equal opportunity for students, the states may be given the freedom to work out their assessment methods, without compromising on the quality and academic credibility."

Palaniswami also requested Nishank to ask the apex authorities, like the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education, the Council of Architecture, the Pharmacy Council of India, the National Council of Teachers Education and the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, to endorse the state governments' decisions, which would be based on the local Covid-19 conditions.

"This would go a long way in rendering justice and fairness to parents and students during these distressful times," Palaniswami said.

Pointing to the new UGC guidelines, mandating all education institutions across the country to conduct examinations by September for the final semester students, he said it had many constraints and difficulties, which included students reaching the examination centres, as many of them were outside the district, the state and some even outside the country.

Palaniswami said many public and private institutions, including their hostels, in the state had been converted as the Covid Care Centres for housing asymptomatic persons under quarantine. They might continue as the Covid centres for some more time, he added.