Partha to hold V-Cs meet today

Kolkata: State Education minister Partha Chatterjee will hold a virtual meeting with the vice-chancellors of the state universities on Monday to discuss the possibilities of holding final semester examinations in universities and colleges

before the Durga Puja in October.

The move comes after the Supreme Court upheld the guidelines of the University Grants Commission on holding final year examinations.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said on Friday that the state cannot hold college or university exams in September amidst the prevailing Covid pandemic situation.

The apex court has stated that states that cannot meet the September 30 deadline can approach the UGC for new dates.

"The options of both online as well as offline mode of examination will be discussed at the meeting," said an official of the state Higher Education department.

Several universities in the state has already published their provisional terminal semester results giving 80 percent weightage on the basis of best aggregate percentage obtained by a candidate in any of the previous semester and 20 percent on internal assessment during the current semester. This has been done as per advisory the state Higher Education department about final semester assessment.

"We may have to revoke the assessment pattern adopted earlier as the entire assessment as per SC directive should be on the basis of current semester," said a Vice-Chancellor of a state university.

The state on the basis of deliberations on Monday's meeting is expected to come out with a revised advisory on the final semester mode of assessment.