An undergraduate student of Calcutta University must pass in all the papers till the sixth semester and maintain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 7.5 if he or she wants to pursue honours with research in the fourth year, the university said last week.
The university said the students will comply with the rules that have been set by the UGC.
If a student fails to achieve the CGPA of 7.5, then the candidate has to write supplementary tests in fifth or sixth semester to improve his or her CGPA to the required level.
CU vice-chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh said since honours with research is a specialised programme, they want students “who are capable and have the required proficiency”, to pursue the programme.
A CU official said they have a provision under which students can progress to the fourth year with requiring to pass in all papers till the sixth semesters.
“But those students will only get honours degree”, the official said.
A notification signed by the university’s registrar Debasis Das on June 1 says: “To continue in the honours with research course, students have to secure minimum 30 marks in all the papers for the first six semesters, including summer internship, and at least CGPA 7.5, calculated after successful completion of semester 1-6 examinations....”
Thirty per cent marks are required to pass in a semester.
The notification further says: “If a candidate fails to secure a minimum CGPA 7.5, he or she may reappear at the 5th or 6th semester end examination or both, at the immediate next available chances within the stipulated period of time to obtain a minimum CGPA 7.5.”
The four-year undergraduate programme was introduced in Calcutta University affiliated colleges in 2023 under the National Education Policy.
This programme allows a candidate to exit at the end of the third year just with a graduate degree.
Those who want to continue and progress to the fourth year, comprising seventh and eighth semesters, can either pursue honours or honours with research.
The university last week in its notification specified the eligibility criteria to pursue honours with research.
“We need to screen bright students to pursue honours with research. If all are allowed to enrol for the specialised programme that has a research component, they would fail to cope up. So an academic benchmark has been set to screen candidates for the specialised programme,” the VC said.
A CU official said those who will complete honours with research, will pursue only one-year master’s programme as mandated under the NEP.
Earlier, all students had to pursue two-year postgraduate programme. “But those who would be graduating with honours combined with research after the fourth year, are required to pursue one-year PG programme only because they have undertaken research at the undergraduate level,” the official said.
The official added, students who will be exiting at the end of the third year, will be required to pursue two-year postgraduate programme under the NEP.