The state government announced on Thursday that college students, except the final year students, will be promoted to the next academic year without conducting the semester examinations owing to the coronavirus pandemic situation.

An eleven-member expert panel was formed to make the decision regarding the modalities for conducting the exams for arts and science, and engineering and technology students. "These students are exempted from writing the semester exams (May 2020). They should be awarded marks followed by UGC and AICTE guidelines. The high-level panel suggested that there is no possibility of conducting exams due to the Covid-19 spread," chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami mentioned in a statement.

Students belonging to the following categories will be promoted to the upcoming academic year without writing the semester exams:

- First and second year undergraduate and first year postgraduate students studying in arts and science colleges

- First, second and third year undergraduate and first year postgraduate students studying in engineering colleges

- First year MCA students

As per directions from the UGC, semester exams for the final year students reportedly cannot be cancelled and a formal decision regarding the dates of the exams is expected to be made soon.