Calcutta University published a revised routine for undergraduate third-semester exams on Monday, while plans are afoot to shorten holidays.

College principals argue that long holidays reduce the number of class days.

Last Monday, students staged a protest on CU’s College Street campus, demanding that the exams be deferred. The students alleged they did not have adequate classes in the third semester.

According to the new routine, theoretical exams will start on March 24 and end on April 8. The exams were earlier scheduled to start on February 23 and end on March 5.

The practical exams will now start on March 6 and continue till March 23.

Vice-chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh said that the revised schedule will ensure that students finish the syllabus.

Ghosh said he was hoping that the exam dates would not clash with the ensuing Assembly elections, expected to be announced soon.

Many college teachers and principals had also sought the postponement, as only 40 of the 66 class days in the third semester had been completed.

“In January, our students wrote to me, requesting that I take the matter up with the
CU authorities. I forwarded the communication to CU,” said Madhumanjari Mandal, the principal of Scottish Church College.

“We are happy that CU has pushed back the exams by over a month,” she added.

Several principals said that too many holidays were one of the reasons for inadequate class days.

VC Ghosh said they had “started taking steps” to increase the class days.

“We have initiated steps to complete the formalities to amend the statutes, which will reduce holidays. The university will now allow affiliated colleges to conduct exams for minor papers (formerly known as pass papers) on their own campuses,” said Ghosh.

“The decision, taken at CU’s syndicate meeting held on December 31, aims to reduce the semester’s extended duration caused by away-centre exams and external evaluations, which cut into teaching days,” he said.

The exams for honours papers will continue to be taken at away centres.

Under the existing system, students travel to another college to take exams for minor papers. Teachers from a different college evaluate answer scripts.

In the new system, the exams for the minor papers will be held in the students’ own colleges, and their teachers will assess the scripts.

The office of CU’s controller of examinations will send teams to supervise the exam and evaluation process, a CU official said.

“The new system will not be applicable for the third-semester exams,” the official said.