RONO HILLS, Apr 15: The Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) has made few recommendations and suggestions after the UGC constituted committee on examinations and academic calendar sought suggestions from the university on academic activities post the Covid-19 lockdown, according to an RGU release.
The RGU recommended “teaching and examination be allowed to be conducted by the university itself. The autonomy enjoyed by the universities should continue with respect to completion of courses, conduct and evaluation of examinations and publication of results.”
This recommendation was made during a meeting of the deans and officers of the RGU chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha following a letter from the UGC constituted committee on examination here on Wednesday.
It also suggested that “a separate cluster for policy decision may be made for the northeastern universities, keeping in view the infrastructure bottlenecks, physical web connectivity issues and the facilities available with the universities.”
“Due to the poor network connectivity, the university fraternity and most of the students are finding it difficult to use the MHRD common platform webs for teaching and learning process,” the release said, adding that the faculties were using other e-resources like Google classrooms, WhatsApp and e-mail to communicate with the students regarding their concerns about teaching and learning.
The RGU urged the HRD ministry look into the issues and give necessary directives in this regard and allow full autonomy to the universities concerned for completion of the courses and conduct examinations with the methods which are best available at their disposal.
“Keeping in view the prevailing fear psychosis in the public regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, it is expected that the MHRD and UGC would be issuing directives regarding reopening of the university.”
The RGU has further suggested that the odd semester may be started from September onward and a six-days-a-week working schedule adopted for the next semester.
Issues related to conduct of the semester examinations, if the lock-down is lifted by 1 May were also discussed during the meeting. However, conduct of the examinations will depend on the directives by the central and state governments, it said.
Matter pertaining to conduct of all sorts of study tours, field visits, excursions and extra-curricular activities with restrictions in the new academic session may be allowed to be conducted in June and December.
However, in case of exigency, these syllabus oriented exercises may be carried out during summer vacation or winter breaks, it said.
It was also observed during the meeting that a significant number of people would be returning from areas identified as Covid-19 hotspots, which needs to be looked upon while framing a policy decision regarding the time frame for opening the university.
