Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Tamil Nadu state government has canceled the examinations for the college students, except for the students who are in their final semesters. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has announced the cancellation of college examinations on Wednesday and the current order will also apply for the students who are on the verge of appearing for their arrear exams, and the recent directive has come days after the government had poured relief for students of the major streams by canceling their semester exams. 

In his statement, the Chief Minister said by accepting the requests from the students and keeping their welfare in mind, and based on the recommendations made by the expert committee installed by the government, the examinations for students who have registered to write their semester exams, except the final semester exams, will be canceled as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). 

By citing that the marks will be provided to them, the Chief Minister further stated that the detailed government order concerning the cancellation of exams will be issued soon. Through his announcement, it can be learned that the regular and arrear exams for all the students, for the current academic year, stand canceled, except for those who are appearing for the regular and arrears for the final semester exams.  

Earlier, the UGC had issued orders to all the universities and colleges to conduct the final semester exams for the students by September 30. However, the Tamil Nadu government had addressed to the Ministry of Education and stated that it was not possible to conduct exams by September 30 in Tamil Nadu in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases. 

Last month, the Tamil Nadu government had canceled the regular semester exams for the Bachelors and Masters students of Science, Engineering, and Arts. However, this order wasn't applicable to the students who are in their final semesters. 

It also had canceled exams for polytechnic courses and Masters in Computer Applications following which students who are appearing for the arrear exams had appealed to the government after which the government has now passed an order of canceling the regular and arrear exams, expert for those in the final semesters.