The Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department has asked all universities and autonomous colleges not to conduct any academic activity, including conducting exams, without the government's or the State Disaster Management Authority's (SDMA) approval. The letter, dated September 12, from S Apoorva, the Principal Secretary of the department came after some universities and colleges in the state had declared that they would go ahead and conduct examinations.

The letter, addressed to the Registrar of Universities and Directors of Technical and Collegiate Education, said that this measure is being put in place to keep the students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. "All the Higher Education Institutions, universities and autonomous colleges' examination conducting bodies, in order to adhere to the standard operating procedure of COVID-19, are directed to take prior approval of the government regarding any activity of higher education including the conduct of examination in online, offline or blended mode through the SDMA in view of the prevailing pandemic of COVID-19 to ensure safety of students and faculty," read the letter.

The universities have been asked to strictly follow the rules as mentioned in the letter.