College principals have been asked to accommodate central forces without disrupting the semester exam schedule.

The theory and practical papers of the third and first-semester undergraduate exams will start on March 6 and end on April 24.

The Election Commission deploys the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to ensure peaceful polls.

Calcutta University’s controller of examinations wrote to principals: “You are also aware of the forthcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, 2026. In this connection, your college may be requisitioned for accommodation of the CAPF personnel and other election-related purposes.

“In view of the above, you are requested to make suitable arrangements to accommodate the CAPF personnel in such a manner so that the examination process, including seating arrangements, the conduct of the examinations, and related activities such as preservation/distribution/ evaluation of answer scripts, go smoothly.”

CU registrar Debasis Das said the letter was sent to ensure that the exam schedule is not disrupted due to the elections.

“During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the colleges had a bad experience following the deployment of the CAPF. In view of this, we have alerted the heads of the institutions,” Das said.

“We do not want to defer the examinations. This will come in the way of completing the syllabus of the following semester,” he added.

A copy of the communication has also been sent to the Election Commission, said a CU official.

The commission has yet to announce the election dates, but traditionally, the polls are held between late March and early May.

In 2024, the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in Bengal were held from April 19 to June 1, but the CAPF moved into their designated accommodations in early March.

Metro had reported that many government and government-aided schools had to suspend their classes and exams following the arrival of the forces long before the elections.

Siuli Sarkar, the principal of Lady Brabourne College, said: “Since ours is a centre where girls from other colleges will write the exams, we will have to make arrangements so that the forces do not take over the entire college.”

New Alipore College principal Joydeep Sarangi said they had already alerted the local police station about the letter from CU.