NAGPUR: The Nagpur University’s new academic session (2021-22) would commence from August 1, but the classes would continue to be held online.
Vice-chancellor Subhash Chaudhari on Friday said lectures for second, third and subsequent years would begin from that date, while first-year classes would commence later after admissions.
“The decision has been taken under special powers under Section 12(7) of Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, as the Academic Council meeting couldn’t take place due to Covid-19 pandemic,” said the VC, who was accompanied by pro-VC Sanjay Dudhe and Board of Examination and Evaluation (BOEE) director Prafulla Sable.
The classes would continue to be held in online mode till getting instructions from the state government.
“Even exams would be conducted in online mode till then,” he said, adding all students can attend online classes from August 1, without waiting for their results which may take time.
The development came as disappointment for a section of NU’s nearly four lakh students, who were hoping for resumption of regular classes as Covid cases have dipped in Vidarbha as compared to the peak in April-May.
“The university should make efforts to restart physical classes at the earliest and ensure all students attending it are fully vaccinated.
Now, the government has also opened vaccination for all above 18 and a majority of students fit into it.
Restarting classes is the need of hour, as many students particularly from rural areas face connectivity and other issues.
Daily we’re receiving complaints from students, who couldn’t appear in online exams,” National Students Union of India (NSUI) national coordinator Amin Noori told TOI.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) was, however, more guarded in its reaction stating it too wants to have offline classes, but the situation wasn’t conducive as of now, particularly after the government has predicted the third wave.
“We welcome NU’s decision to offer online classes, as the current situation is highly unpredictable.
Rushing for offline coaching can prove detrimental for the students.
Instead, NU should ensure vaccination of all students on priority, so that colleges could be started without delay, once the situation normalises,” said ABVP’s central working committee member Amit Patle.
The academic session usually begins in June last week, but this year it was delayed as summer-2021 exams are yet to start.
The exams are scheduled from June 29 and will continue for about a month.
Even winter-2020 papers could be concluded only recently as those were deferred due to the pandemic-induced lockdown.