Vice-chancellors of state universities in West Bengal have recommended that the government continues the suspension of classes till June 30 in view of the situation brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak and Cyclone Amphan.
The vice-chancellors took a resolution in this regard during a meeting held on Friday.
“Academic activities on campuses will remain suspended till June 30. This is the recommendation of the Upacharya Parishad (Bengal Vice-chancellors’ Council) to the West Bengal government,” Subiresh Bhattacharya, general secretary of the body and vice-chancellor of the North Bengal University, told PTI.
Issues like maintenance of academic calendar in the wake of the suspension of classes and campus activities since March 16, ways to conduct final semester exams, how to follow the choice-based-credit-system (CBCS) module and efficacy of holding online classes were also discussed in the meeting, another vice-chancellor said.
Education Minister Partha Chatterjee had said the state government will let the universities decide on the possible date of reopening of the campuses and wait for the recommendations of the VC council to the Higher Education Department in this regard.
“The varsities will also decide the date of holding final year semester exams and apprise the Higher Education Department accordingly,” Chatterjee had said.
The state government had on May 27 announced that the state-run schools will remain closed till June 30 due to damages caused to the school buildings by the cyclone and also because some educational institutes are being used as quarantine centres.
The minister had left it to the authorities of the colleges and universities to decide on the possible date of resumption of campus activities.
The VC council consists of representatives of all the 20 state universities in West Bengal.