Principals of CU colleges want offline exams

Kolkata: On a day when a section of students agitated in front of Calcutta University on College Street demanding that the forthcoming semester examinations should be held in online mode, principals of most CU-affiliated colleges advocated the conduct of examinations in offline mode.

"We held a meeting with the principals of the affiliated colleges seeking their views on the mode of examinations today (Friday). The majority of them have opined that even semester UG (undergraduate) examinations should be held in offline mode. The final decision will be taken at the syndicate meeting on June 3," Vice-Chancellor of CU Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee said.

The syndicate is the highest decision-making body in the CU.

The students claimed that a majority of their studies have been held online and offline classes have started barely a few months back, examinations should be held online.

However, it should be noted that both the UG Board of Studies and PG Faculty Council which held its meeting on May 20 unanimously decided that with the Covid situation improving, the examinations should be held in offline mode.

Over 1 lakh students appear for Undergraduate examinations while in the case of PG, the number is around 19,500. There are 152 colleges in the city and its adjoining districts that are affiliated with the CU.

Rabindra Bharati University is also holding its semester examinations in offline mode. Jadavpur University has also taken a similar move.