UGC Guidelines 2020: Universities to follow 6-day week pattern to compensate academic loss

On April 29, the Commission accepted the reports submitted by its expert committees and released a reformed academic calendar for the academic session 2020-21.

University Grants Commission (UGC) released a detailed set of guidelines related to University examinations and academic calendar for the academic session 2020-21. In order to release UGC Guidelines 2020, the Commission constituted two expert committees to prepare reports on the commencement of examinations and academic session after COVID-19 lockdown. The nationwide lockdown announced by the government of India on March 24 led to the postponement of exams, suspension of classes, delay in results as well as hampered the new admission process.

To work on an alternative academic calendar and to look into the ways of conducting exams in universities amid the COVID-19 spread, UGC formed a committee led by Haryana University Vice-Chancellor RC Kuhad. The second committee was formed to suggest measures to improve online education which was led by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) V-C Nageshwar Rao. The Council received reports from both the committees on April 24. On April 29, the Commission accepted the reports submitted by its expert committees and released a reformed academic calendar for the academic session 2020-21.

In order to begin the academic process further for the upcoming session, UGC released some general guidelines along with the reformed academic calendar. These detailed guidelines are important or colleges and universities to restore normalcy in the campus and continue with the teaching-learning process:

1. All universities are advised to follow a 6-day week pattern to compensate for the loss for the remaining session of 2019-20 and the next session 2020-21.
2. In order to follow the norms of ‘social distancing’, universities may opt virtual laboratories set up by MHRD to facilities laboratory work among the students. These virtual labs are suitable to facilitate the students of science/ engineering/ technology streams.
3. Every institute should develop virtual classrooms and video conferencing facilities. Universities must make sure that all teaching staff is trained with the use of technology.
4. The universities should promote the concept of online education by preparing e-content/e-lab experiments and upload the same on their websites
5. The universities should strengthen the mechanism of mentor-mentee counseling through a dedicated portal on the university website to impart timely guidance and counselling to the students. Besides, the faculty advisor and supervisor assigned to each student should maintain regular communication with the students.
6. The universities must keep a record of the Travel/ Stay history of the staff and students for the period when they were away from the university due to lockdown, in order to take necessary precautions if required. In addition, the universities will strictly comply with all precautions and preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID -19.
7. In order to overcome such challenges in the future, the faculty should be adequately trained for the use of ICT and online teaching tools, so that they complete about 25% of the syllabus through online teaching and 75% syllabus through face to face teaching.
8. The Universities may set up, integrate and strengthen the mentor-mentee counselling. 
9. If legally tenable, Universities may adopt an alternative method of admission.
10. Universities located in the areas where restrictions are imposed by the government due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus may plan according to the prevailing situation.

To check the official PDF of UGC guidelines 2020, CLICK HERE

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