The shutting down of universities, colleges, and schools since March 16 on account the COVID-19 lockdown has caused a delay in the academic session of 2020-21, With a government-appointed committee recommending that the traditional mid-July start for higher education should be pushed to September. It means that schools and colleges would now reopen in September as per a report published by The Indian Express.
Universities and schools all around the country have been closed since March 16 when the Union government announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the outbreak.
A committee of seven members was set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and headed by Nageshwar Rao, Vice-Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), to look at online education has advised against mandatory online examination by universities, citing the “diversity, local environment, composition of students and preparedness of the learners, current infrastructure and technology support.” And also, to deliberate on issues related to examination and the academic calendar in the wake of the classroom shutdown, submitted its report Friday.
According to HRD Ministry officials, the two reports will now be studied, and official guidelines in this regard are expected to be notified by next week
“It is not binding that all the recommendations will be accepted. After deliberating on the feasibility issues and keeping the situation in mind, guidelines will be issued,” an official said.
Another hurdle in starting the academic session is the delay in conducting entrance examinations as well as the pending board exams, and the panel has pointed out.
“As of now, the plan is to conduct entrance examinations like NEET and JEE in June. But it is essential to keep reviewing the COVID-19 situation,” the official said.
If accepted by the UGC, the next step would be that the Union government approach the Supreme Court to seek approval for the extension of the date for completing admissions to medical and engineering programs, which in the ordinary course would be August 31 and 15, respectively. These deadlines will be approved by the Supreme Court and need confirmation before being implemented.
With all entrance exams, universities, and school exams being delayed indefinitely, a delay in the new academic session was not just expected but inevitable. This report, however, puts a definite period to it. The two-month delayed start to the new academic session is one of the recommendations. Others include that the year-end or semester-end examinations, which were also postponed indefinitely, be held in July.
Meanwhile, The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has already announced that it will conduct pending board exams for only 29 subjects, which are crucial for promotion and undergraduate admissions.
“One panel has recommended that the academic session be started from September than July. The second panel has suggested that universities should conduct online exams if they have the infrastructure and means or wait for the lockdown to get over and then decide a date for pen-and-paper examinations,” a source said.
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