Universities have been directed by Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan to conduct semester examinations soon.
The semester examinations were put on hold owing to the second wave of COVID-19 infections. As a result, most universities had not conducted examinations for the odd semester and had begun even semester courses. The UGC had asked universities to keep offline examinations in abeyance during May 2021.
On Tuesday, the Minister, after a meeting with Vice Chancellors, said they were in the process of planning how the examinations would be conducted. He also said that colleges and Vice Chancellors have a social responsibility to ensure that all students above the age of 18 are vaccinated. “This would help start the next academic year normally. Academic work has to go on, and we have to find solutions,” he added.
New courses
Universities in Karnataka have been directed to start new undergraduate courses for the 2021-22 academic year, said Dr. Ashwath Narayan. The next academic year will commence in October 2021. This year, all class 12 and second year pre-university students have been declared as ‘pass’ by their respective boards, and this would increase the number of students eligible for higher education.
The Minister said that universities should start four-year undergraduate courses to accommodate more students. Universities have been told to work towards starting undergraduate courses from the current academic year as per the National Education Policy.
The calendar of academic activities for the next two years has already been set, he said. Vice-Chancellors have been asked to begin admissions for first-year degree courses in the first week of October as per the calendar.
Trial run of E-Office software from June 25
The Unified University College Management System, a web portal-based software developed by the department of E-Office, has been given permission for a trial run from June 25.
The Higher Education Minister has directed all Vice-Chancellors to carry out all correspondence with the government only through ‘E-Office’ mode. They were informed that implementing E-Office is mandatory.
