Shimla, Aug 17 (IANS): In a temporary reprieve to undergraduate students, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday stayed the examinations being conducted by the Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla till the apex court's further order.

In an interim order applicable till August 19, a division bench comprising Justices Sureshwar Thakur and Chander Bhusan Barowalia was hearing a petition by the students and the parents, who raised concerns over the spread of coronavirus if the university "goes ahead with the examinations".

The Supreme Court has not announced its verdict on the University Grants Commission (UGC) case for final year examinations. The case has been adjourned till August 18.

In Himachal Pradesh, over 36,000 students were expected to appear in the examinations till September 8 at 134 centres across the state.

However, this order was passed by the high court on August 14, but the university, which claimed that it was unaware of the order, went ahead with the first exam on Monday.

State Education Minister Govind Singh Thakaur told the media here that the state has made all preparations for conducting the final year exmanination by following all the health protocols.

"We are going to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court on the order of the high court," he said.