Anna University has reduced the duration of semester exams from 45-50 days to 30 days, beginning this semester.
The odd semester examination (July 2017-December 2017) for candidates of all UG and PG courses (except for I semester) will begin on October 30 and end on November 30. The next semester would commence on December 18. Practical exams would be held from October 23 to 28, the university said.
The decision was taken following widespread complaint that students did not get enough vacation time during summer for internship. Students will now have four- to six-week vacation.
The university has sent out instructions to principals of all affiliated non-autonomous colleges that they must strictly adhere to the academic and attendance schedule provided by the Director of the Centre for Academic Courses of the University.
The schedule was unwieldy as the university had to accommodate candidates from various regulations. The university has dispensed with this norm and from this year no old regulation students would be allowed to take the exams. Thus, students admitted to UG courses in 2011 under the 2008 and 2013 regulation (for B Arch, candidates admitted in 2010 under R-2009) alone would be allowed to take the exams.
University officials said they had found that while colleges were expected to begin their semester only on July 3, colleges started the semester soon after the examinations of the previous semester concluded.
“We received complaints that even some of the best colleges followed this pattern and students were asked to pay the fees a month in advance. The students did not have sufficient time to consider internship and this affected their career prospects,” an official said.
The colleges have been advised to follow the schedule that the university has issued. It cautioned them against holding the practical tests for a fortnight during the academic session.
Winter vacation
It has also instituted a compulsory two-week winter vacation for the students. The even semester that commences on December 18 would tentatively end mid-May.
The university has pointed out that the colleges delayed paying the examination fees of the students and also delayed the entering of attendance and assessment marks on the web portal of the Controller of Examination.
