Universities, Colleges in West Bengal to begin new academic session for both UG,PG levels from December 1

West Bengal government has directed colleges and Universities to begin the new academic session for both UG and PG courses from December 1.

West Bengal Education Minister has announced that the new academic session for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in Colleges and Universities will begin from December 1. While talking to media persons on September 26, the Minister said that in view of festivals like Lakshmi puja, Kali puja/Diwali, Chhat puja, Jagaddhatri puja lined up in the entire month of November, the decision has been taken. The decision has been taken during a meeting with the Vice-Chancellors of State Universities and the State Higher Education Department. 

Chatterjee said, "As we need to sanitise the institution premises before starting the academic session in full course, we have to take into account the four-five festive days when no work will be possible. So it will be in the fitness of things to start the new sessions from December."

He said since most universities have already adopted online teaching for the mid-semester courses and providing course materials to students who don't have online facilities, starting the new session won't be hopefully of many problems.

"Still whether the classes will be entirely online or there will also be the offline mode of teaching will depend on the situation at that time," the minister added. He said the "decision taken at the meeting will be communicated to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The government will finally announce the dates of the new academic session in UG and PG and all higher educational institutions and will start their first-year classes accordingly," he said. A Vice-Chancellor of a prominent state university in the city who attended the virtual meeting told PTI that it was initially decided to start first-year undergraduate classes in colleges from November 1 and postgraduate classes from December 1.

However, as the festive season falls in end October and the major part of November, many participants at the meeting later pointed out the difficulties to start UG classes in November and the minister finally decided with the consent of others to begin the new academic session both at PG and UG levels from the same date, the VC said.

"As per the University Grants Commission advisory, we have to start the UG and PG classes for 2020-21 academic session without any much delay. Hence it was agreed at the meeting that the classes will commence after the admission procedure gets over," he said. While admission to UG level will be over by October 31, the admission procedure at the PG level can be completed only at the end of November. 

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