The University Grants Commission (UGC) had issued ‘Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic.
UGC in their revised guidelines informed that the Terminal Semester/ Final Year Examinations (2020-2021) will be compulsorily conducted in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online + offline) mode by no later than August 31, 2021 following the prescribed protocols/ guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UGC has also requested the Higher Education institutes that in view of the financial hardships being faced by parents due to lockdowns and related factors, a full refund of fees should be made on account of all cancellations of admissions/ migrations of students up to October 31, 2021 for the academic session 2021-2022 as a special case.
Examinations
The guidelines issued shall apply for the current academic session 2020-21. The Terminal Semester/ Final Year Examinations (2020-2021) be compulsorily conducted in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online + offline) mode by no later than August 31, 2021 following the prescribed protocols/ guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For intermediate semester/year students, assessment shall be based on internal evaluation and previous semester as suggested in 2020 guidelines.
Academic Calendar
- The provisions contained in the UGC Guidelines dated 24.09.2020 shall be applicable for the academic session 2021-2022. For students of the intermediate semester/year, the Higher Education Institutions may start their academic session (in online/offline/blended mode) as early as possible, following the guidelines/directions related to the COVID-19 pandemic issued by the appropriate government/competent authority.
- The guidelines shall also apply regarding the academic calendar for the first-year under-graduate and post-graduate students in Higher Education Institutions.
- Higher Education Institutions shall ensure that the admission process for undergraduate courses/programmes for the academic session 2021-2022 commences only after the declaration of results by the CBSE, ICSE and State Boards.
- It is expected that all the School Boards will declare their results for the class/grade-XII examinations by July 31, 2021.
- Admissions to the first year courses/programmes for the session 2021-2022 shall be completed by no later than September 30, 2021. The last date for admissions to fill up the remaining vacant seats shall be October 31, 2021. The relevant documents of the qualifying examination can be accepted up to December 31, 2021.
- The academic session 2021-2022 shall commence latest by October 1, 2021 for first semester/year students.
UGC also instructed that Admission Process for Undergraduate Level Programmes to Commence only after the declaration of results by the C.B.S.E. and I.C.S.E., including the State Boards which is expected by July 31.
UGC also said that the completion of Admission Process for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes in online/offline/blended mode will be done till September 30.
UGC set the Semester Break ends date to July 31, 2022, while the next Academic Session for this batch will begin from August 1, 2022.
UGC has instructed Universities that if there is a delay in declaration of result of the qualifying examinations, they may plan and start the academic session by October 18, 2021.
The teaching-learning process may continue in offline/ online/ blended mode.
Higher Education Institutions may plan for classes, breaks, conduct of examinations, semester break etc. during the period October 1, 2021 to July 31, 2022 following necessary protocols/guidelines/directions/advisories of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In view of the financial hardships being faced by parents due to lockdowns and related factors, a full refund of fees should be made on account of all cancellations of admissions/ migrations of students up to October 31, 2021 for the academic session 2021-2022 as a special case. It is made clear that the entire fee, including all charges, should be refunded (i.e. there should be zero cancellation charges) on account of cancellations/migrations up to October 31, 2021. Thereafter, on cancellation/ withdrawal of admissions up to December 31, 2021, the entire fee collected from a student should be refunded in full after deducting not more than Rs.1000/- as processing fee.
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