Calcutta University

Calcutta University (CU) has expressed its inability to introduce the semester system, as recommended by the Centre, citing inadequate infrastructure and a manpower crunch.

The university, instead, will incorporate some of the semester features into its system of holding annual tests.

CU spelt out its stand at a national conference of vice-chancellors and other senior officials of universities, organised by the University Grants Commission in Delhi on October 10 and 11.

The UGC chairman, during a visit to the city in September, had announced that the Union government had a plan to replace the system of holding annual exams with the semester pattern.

CU’s undergraduate courses comprise three parts and postgraduate courses two. Exams are held at the end of each academic year.

“The semester system, in which tests are held every six months, is no doubt more scientific than what we follow. But we cannot implement the system unless the infrastructure of our university and the colleges is revamped,” said Suranjan Das, CU’s pro vice-chancellor (academic), who was present at the meeting.

“We also do not have adequate manpower, in both faculty and non-faculty sections, to hold tests every six months,” Das pointed out.

In most institutions that follow the semester system, students can use the library round the clock and other facilities, like the laboratory, till late hours. Besides, regular tutorials are held in those institutions.

“It is not possible for CU or the affiliated colleges to provide these facilities to the students right now,” said Das.

The university, however, is ready to tread a middle path by adopting some of the aspects of the semester system.

An official said the university has identified three features that it is ready to accept — continuous evaluation through class tests, wider range of subject combination (a student of history can choose mathematics as an elective) and credit transfer (if a student fails in a paper in one test, he can sit for it in the second test without losing a year or semester).

The national conference of vice-chancellors also discussed the academic and administrative reforms to be undertaken by the Centre and state governments during the 11th Plan period and the funds to be required by the institutions to carry out the reforms.