Bengal state varsities doubtful about completing UG curriculum in 9 months

    Kolkata, Sep 25 (PTI) Authorities of state
universities in West Bengal have expressed doubts about
completing the undergraduate curriculum of the 2020-21
academic year within nine months from November 1, as
recommended by the UGC.
    The 2021-22 academic year is likely to begin from
August 30 next year.
    The authorities, however, said they will have to chalk
out a way to complete the curriculum after the final semester
examinations scheduled in October.
    The University Grants Commission (UGC), in a recent
advisory, recommended that admissions to first year
undergraduate courses be completed by October 31 and classes
positively start from November 1 for the 2020-21 academic
year.
    "Even if classes are held six days a week, it will be
difficult to complete the entire curriculum within nine months
in the present semester-based system," a senior Jadavpur
University official told PTI on Friday.
    Holidays and vacations will have to be factored in
before chalking out the academic calendar, he said.
    "We are currently preoccupied with conducting
supplementary examinations for earlier semesters, laboratory
projects, besides preparing for holding the final semester
examinations from October 1.
    "Implementing the UGC advisory to complete admission
to first year by October 31 will not be much of a problem. But
we have to find a way to complete the 2020-21 academic
schedule," the official said.
    A Calcutta University official said its decision-
making body, the Senate, will sit with the vice chancellor to
discuss implementation of the UGC guidelines and decide on how
to start the classes, in which format and how to complete the
curriculum.
    Rabindra Bharati University Vice Chancellor Sabyasachi
Basu Roychowdhury said, "As the West Bengal assembly elections
are due in April-May next year, many educational institutions
will become polling centres. That will certainly impede the
process of holding classes during that period."
    Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA)
general secretary Partha Pratim Roy said, "Personally, I think
the entire 2020-21 academic calendar could have been deferred
by one year, instead of taking hasty decisions which will
create confusion among students."
    "As an organisation, the JUTA will speak on the issue
later. We will give our views as stakeholders and in the
interest of the students," he said.
    The All Bengal University Teachers' Association
(ABUTA), in a statement, said the UGC advisory to start
classes is "irresponsible" and endangers the lives of the
students "when the Centre has failed to control the COVID-19
outbreak". PTI SUS
ACD ACD

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)