UGC Revises Guidelines for Academic Calendar 2020-21

The University Grants Commission has revised the Guidelines for Academic Calendar 2020-21. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the academic calendar has been revised for admission to the first-year undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The meeting took place on 21st September 2020 for the approval of revised UGC guidelines.

UGC has released an official notification on its website regarding the resumption of classes for the universities and affiliated colleges. The classes for odd semesters will most likely begin from 18th November 2020. The universities will have the full liberty to conduct the classes in online/offline mode, as per the best interest of the students and teachers.

UGC 2020-21 Academic Calendar

Below is the calendar for the 2020-21 academic suggestion, recommended by UGC

Another recommendation made by the UGC is that the universities can choose to adopt an alternative model/method of exam to complete the entire process in a shorter duration of time such as reducing the time from 3 hours to 2 hours as well as have the flexibility to conduct the exams online as well as offline. The universities have the freedom to modify/adjust the guidelines as per their requirements and the current situation.

The universities can also follow a six-day week pattern, have virtual classrooms, video conferencing facility, and train all the teaching staff to use the latest technology, do e-lab experiments, prepare e-content and upload on their respective websites. The faculty should also be trained to use ICT and other online teaching tools so that 25% of the syllabus can be completed through online teaching.

UGC has made it clear that in case there is a delay in the announcement of the result of the qualifying examinations, universities can start the academic session by November 18, 2020. The classes can continue in online mode.In order to avoid financial hardship being faced by the parents due to lockdown and related factors, a full refund of fees be made on account of all cancellation of admissions/ migration of students, up to 30 November 2020, for this very session as a special case.

UGC Important Guidelines

Some of the important guidelines issued by UGC are mentioned below

1. Students to be given exposure to lab experiments/assignments through the use of virtual labs, sharing the recorded images of lab work.
2. Have virtual classrooms and video conferencing facilities, and all teaching staff should be trained to use the latest technology.
3. The lockdown period can be treated as 'deemed to be attended' by all the students/ research scholars.
4. Six-months extension to be given to the MPhil and PhD students. The universities can conduct the PhD and MPhil Viva exams via video conferencing.
5. MHRD link for virtual labs to facilitate science/engineering/technology streams will also be suitable.
6. Educational institutes situated in places where there is a restriction on public gathering can plan accordingly.
7. Strengthening of the mentor-mentee counselling.
8. Faculty to be trained to use ICT and other online teaching tools so they can complete 25% of the syllabus online and the remaining syllabus offline.
9. Universities can also come up with a plan to record the travel history of the students and staff while they were away from the university due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
10. Universities to form a COVID-19 cell.
11. Universities to have a 6-day week pattern in order to compensate for the loss for the remaining session for 2019-20 and for 2020-21.

All schools and universities across India have been shut since March 16.

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