Institutions to hold online classes; final decision on exams post-May 17

Bengaluru/Mysuru: With an intention to ensure timely completion of the syllabus of graduate courses, Minister for Higher Education Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, has instructed Vice-Chancellors to conduct classes online and wind up the portions by May 30.

Addressing Vice-Chancellors of all Universities – Private and Government – in the State via video-conferencing yesterday, Dr. Ashwath Narayan said completing the prescribed syllabus will avoid confusion. “Everyone should finish the syllabus by May 30 through online classes. Teachers have resumed work at Government Colleges and are taking online classes from the College itself. Private Colleges should do the same,” he said. 

Promotion without exams

He said that the Government had been receiving suggestions to promote students of first and second years without examinations on the lines of the Maharashtra system. However, the VCs suggested giving students the carryover option instead of promoting them without exams. They said students could be given the option of slowly clearing the previous year’s subjects. 

Promoting them without exams will not serve the purpose. They even suggested conducting online exams instead of promoting the students based on their past performance. At the end, the Minister announced that a final decision on holding undergraduate examinations would be taken after May 17, when the lockdown ends. “We will have another meeting with the Heads of Universities after May 17 and make a final decision,” Dr. Ashwath Narayan said. 

Uniform pattern of syllabus

The Minister directed the committees constituted to study the implementation of a uniform pattern of syllabus and study material across the State to submit their reports within 15 days. He said all the five committees constituted for the purpose are supposed to coordinate with the Task Force constituted under the Vision Group for Higher Studies while tabling their reports.

The five committees constituted for the purpose are headed by Prof. Y.S. Siddegowda, Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Prof. Ramachandra Gowda, Prof. Karisiddappa and Prof. S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellors of Tumakuru, Mysore, Belagavi Rani Chennamma Universities, Visvesvaraya Technological University and Karnataka State Open University respectively.

Priority for final year

Speaking to ‘Star of Mysore’ this morning, Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar said that top priority will be given for conducting the final year exam of degree courses as students have to make a choice regarding taking up a job or pursuing higher studies.

“We were against the suggestion of promoting first and second year students based on their past performance. The Universities have adequate time to hold exam for first and second year students and the focus should be on holding exam for final year students now as they would be looking at future options after completing their degree,” he said.

Noting that the students will be asked to attend physical classes once the public transport system is back on track after the lockdown ends, he said that the University would evolve plans on maintaining social distancing norms.