West Bengal: It was announced on Friday that all upcoming semester exams at Kolkata University will be held offline, a decision that is in opposition to the demands made by an angry section of undergraduate students who want online tests as had been the practice in the country during the two years when the Covid-19 pandemic raged.
"Today Calcutta University Syndicate members unanimously accepted the recommendations of the members of all Faculty Councils, the chairpersons of all Undergraduate Boards of Studies, and the opinions of most of the Principals to conduct the upcoming even semester examinations in offline mode," she said in an official statement.
According to students, in-person classes at the campus have only taken place in the past two months, leaving them with gaps in their tutorials, the VC said in her statement "Syndicate took the decision and also decided that all the Principals of affiliated colleges will be well- advised to take steps to arrange special classes to complete courses immediately according to the syllabi, if not already done."
The university conducted a survey of affiliated colleges after two panels recommended holding semester exams on the offline mode for both undergraduates and postgraduates. The overwhelming majority of college principals favored on-campus testing.
Educationist Pabitrra Sarkar, Indologist, and academic Nrisinga Prasad Bhaduri and others described "online exams as no exam at all and said for the sake of their career, the students should give up the unjust demand."
"With the dip in Covid cases and offline classes having begun, there is no reason why the higher educational institutions should give in to such unfair demands by a section of students," Bhaduri said earlier.
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