Bombay HC seeks Mumbai varsity's response on exams to be held amid Coronavirus breakout

The Bombay High Court on Monday sought the Mumbai University's response on graduate and post graduate examinations scheduled to be held amid the novel coronavirus breakout.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice B P Dharmadhikari and Justice N R Borkar was informed by an advocate, Siddarth Ingle, that the state government had, on March 14, issued a notification directing all schools and colleges to be shut till March 31.

The government had allowed for HSC and SSC exams to be held as per schedule. Ingle's advocate, Jamshed Mistry, on Monday told the court that University exams are scheduled to start on March 23 for which several lakh students will appear.

"University of Mumbai should take the responsibility of the safety of those students who are appearing for this examination. Their utmost safety and security is the real concern of this letter, therefore request you to treat this (with) utmost urgency," Ingle's plea said.

The bench directed the University to respond to the plea and posted the matter for further hearing on Tuesday. Responding to another public interest litigation filed by a social worker, Sagar Jondhale, seeking steps to be taken to curb the spread of coronavirus, government pleader P P Kakade told the bench all necessary steps had been taken.

Schools, colleges, malls, theatres, swimming pools and gyms have been directed to remain shut for a period of two weeks, Kakade told the court. So far, 33 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus in the state, of which nine are in Mumbai.