Darjeeling: North Bengal University has decided to sit for a meeting with the representatives of hill colleges to solve the issue of holding classes during the winter.

The university has introduced Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) from this year and had asked the hill colleges to hold classes even during the winters.

CBCS is a semester based system in which students have to complete six semesters during their three years in college. The first semester period starts from July till December and the second semester is held between January and February end.

Before the introduction of semester system by the NBU, hill colleges would close for winter break from mid-December to February while the annual examination would be held between April and June.

Students and also teachers want the winters vacation to remain in place given the severe winter weather. The students had also approached GTA chairperson Binay Tamang and GTA board of administration member Amar Singh Rai to intervene in this issue.

Tamang said on Tuesday that the NBU had written him expressing their desire to hold a meeting with the hill principals in his presence at Lal Khoti in Darjeeling on September 8, a request he had readily accepted.

The NBU in the letter has mentioned that varsity has to conducted examinations at the same time irrespective of the locations of colleges in hills and plains.

"The stipulation of 90 teaching days per semester have the mandate of the UGC and the undergraduate examinations are to be conducted keeping in conformity with mandatory norms of 90 days teaching," D.K. Sarkar, registrar, NBU, has written.