Calcutta University plans to start regular inspection of affiliated colleges to ensure maintenance of minimum standards.

Senior or retired teachers and university officials will monitor the academic activities, quality of faculty and education and infrastructure facilities of the colleges.

“We want to start routine inspection of our affiliated colleges to ensure each one of them offers quality education,” said Calcutta University (CU) vice-chancellor Suranjan Das. The modalities are being worked out.

At present, inspections are conducted only in case of a complaint against a particular college or when a college wants to introduce a course.

According to the proposal, colleges will be given a questionnaire at the time of inspection — to be held quarterly or half-yearly. Colleges will have to provide details about their functioning, academics and infrastructure. Details such as total number of teachers and teachers on leave and the reason for going on leave will have to be mentioned. Colleges will also have to state what steps have been taken to make up for the missed classes.

The team of inspectors will interact with students and any discrepancy between their feedback and the information provided by the college could lead to stern action, a university source said.

The inspection will have three parts — academic, infrastructure and finance — with emphasis on academics.

Colleges will also have to share the number of students admitted to first year as well as successful students at the end of third year. The principal and teachers will have to explain if there is a big gap between the two numbers.

The inspectors will also take stock of college libraries. They will have to be provided with details of books in the library and the borrowing pattern. “It is not as if there is no provision for monitoring but the norms are hardly followed by most colleges,” said a CU official.

University officials are of the opinion that regular inspection would improve the quality of education but teachers, students and guardians are doubtful.

“The problem is that most colleges are unable to maintain the standard of education for reasons like acute shortage of funds and faculty,” said a principal of a college.