Nearly a dozen students from across the country have moved the Supreme Court, seeking cancellation of the recent order of the University Grants Commission (UGC), mandating all Universities and Colleges to conduct final-year examinations by September 30.

The petitioners, including a Novel Coronavirus positive student, on Sunday challenged the UGC guidelines of July 6, 2020, on conducting final-year examinations in all Universities and colleges.

Through Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, the petitioners submitted before the top court that there were many final year students, who were either affected by the pandemic or their family members were vulnerable to the epidemic.

Forcing such students to appear in the final year examinations by September 30 this year, was an open violation of the Right to Life, conferred under Article 21 of the Constitution, the plea said.

Mr Srivastava told the court that the mark sheets or degrees are usually awarded to students by July 31, while in the present case, the examinations will end by September 30.

"When the 10th and 12th examinations of various boards can be cancelled and results can be declared on the basis of internal evaluation, then why not the final year varsity students?," he argued.