Universities have been suggested to reduce the exam time from 3 hours to 2 hours and adopt alternative modes of exams like open book exams in order to compensate for the academic loss due to lockdown. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released academic guidelines for colleges and universities to cope up with the academic loss during the lockdown which has been imposed nationwide to contain the spread of COVID-19. Universities have been closed since March 16.
The UGC had constituted expert committees under the Chairmanship of Professor RC Kuhad to frame new guidelines on exams and academic calendar for universities in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
The common objective of all the recommendations given by the committee is to expedite the academic formalities without compromising the quality of the teaching.
It has suggested the universities to adopt alternative and simplified modes and methods of examinations like MCQ/ OMR based examinations, Open Book Examination, Open Choices, assignment/ presentation-based assessments etc. to complete the process in shorter period of time in compliance with CBCS requirements.
"The universities may adopt efficient and innovative modes of examinations by reducing the time from 3 hours to 2 hours assigned to each examination, if need arises but without compromising the quality, so that the process may be completed in multiple shifts and, at the same time, sanctity to evaluate the performance of a student is also maintained," the committee has recommended.
The committee suggests universities to begin classes for 2nd and 3rd year students from August 1 and for fresh batch (first semester/year) from September 1. For courses with more than 3 year duration Universities have been asked to plan the academic calendar accordingly.
Universities have been asked to follow a 6-day week pattern to compensate the loss for the remaining session of 2019-20 and the next session 2020-21.
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