ugcs recent decision to conduct the final year exam by the end of september has led to widespread digital protest however academics have a different perspective on conduct of the examspecial decision is neededthe covid19 pandemic has overlapped with the 2020 examination season despite challenges it is important to award the degrees needed to apply for jobs to avoid uncertainty and delay in the award of degrees cancellation of the exam is an option students can be assessed based on the average of the marks obtained in previous exams although this may question the credibility of the degree awarded but considering the extraordinary situation which is prevailing presently the employers have to accept it moreover in most cases a candidates credibility is also judged by some other means if the ugc or mhrd approves this mode of awarding degree it is rational that the employers and society accept itdolly sinha former provice chancellor patna universityacademic integrity in doubtstudents protest demanding cancellation of final examination against the ugc decision lacks merit awarding a higher education degree without conducting an examination in some form or the other would question the academic integrity of the educational institutions and the students alike the students instead should discuss with the respective educational institutions on nature of final examinations that would be acceptable to both parties if a protest by the students online and offline is possible so is an examinationanshuman behera associate professor at the national institute of advanced studies nias bangaloreknowledge and degree must for jobevaluation is an important part of the teaching and learning process presently due to covid19 educational institutions are facing great difficulties in continuing their academic activities however teachers and students across the country are making their best effort to cope with the situation and continue academic activities mostly on the virtual platform at the same time conducting examinations in the present situation is also a challenge but then universities are taking all the efforts to convert this challenge into an opportunity with a sole purpose to benefit final semester students they along with knowledge and skill will also need these degrees the most to make their claims in the academic and professional pursuits certainly its going to be tough for students and also for teachers to design the assessment criteria in a completely new way but in the given situation we all need to come out from our comfort zonekaushal kishore assistant professor the maharaja sayajirao university of baroda vadodaratough call to makemany states have baulked at ugcs diktat on conducting finalyear examinations citing logistical and safety concerns in the midst of the pandemic as a student a degree awarded without the final examination score can put them on a backfoot in terms of professional credibility implementing the states directives might strip some students of an opportunity some were working towards improving their scores in the final examination to prove their capability cancelling the final examinations may put the careers of such students at risk in a country like