New Delhi, Jul 27 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from University Grants Commission (UGC) on a batch of pleas seeking quashing of its guidelines dated July 6, whereby all the universities/colleges have been instructed to conduct final-year examinations by September 30.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for UGC, to file a response on the matter within two days. The bench has scheduled the matter for further hearing on Friday.

Over a dozen students from various parts of the country had moved the apex court. The petitioners, which include a COVID-19 positive student, have pointed out that there are many final year students, who themselves or their family members are COVID-19 positive.

Advocate Alak Alok Srivastava appearing for a student cited that nearly 50,000 Covid-19 cases have been reported in the past 24 hours and the situation is really worse. He urged the apex court to stay the guidelines while the matter is pending.

Mehta contended before the apex court that UGC is only concerned with final year exams.

"There are 818 universities in India and out of this 35 have not reached final year exams. 209 have completed the exams, 394 are in the process of conducting the exams", contended Mehta.

Mehta informed that the UGC had given option of an online exam, offline exam or merger of both. There are MHRD and MHA guidelines which state not more than 10 students in one room with social distancing.