Panjab University: Six-day week, online classes

CHANDIGARH: A six-day week in online mode will herald the 2020-21 academic session in Panjab University (PU) from August 3, a decision that has met with some criticism from both students and the faculty.
Panjab University Teachers Association president Rajesh Gill said all teachers are not prepared for online classes. They need to be updated and provided with regular training, as asked by the University Grants Commission (UGC), she said.

Rahul Kumar, vice-president, PU student council, asked how students from Jammu and Kashmir, Leh, Ladakh and interiors of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana who do not have access to Internet will attend these classes? “Why not club two semesters and conduct classes in January next year,” he suggested.
There will be a 40-minute class for each subject and the session will end on November 28.
R K Singla, dean university of instructions, agreed there is no scope for opening of labs for sciences, stressing the online classes will focus more in covering theory in the first academic session.
Practicals can be covered when students come to the campus.
He said the university was planning to send reading material through post to those who do not have access to Internet and they could get their queries addressed over phone with faculty members.
He said classes in college campuses would start after the government gives permission as per the University Grants Commission guidelines.
V R Sinha, dean research, said the priority was to complete the lab work of final year students who are suffering due to the delay. The decision on accessing the labs will be taken after hostels are allowed to open.
No exam for intermediate classes
Panjab University has decided that all students, except those in their final year, will be promoted to the next class. However, the procedure regarding their grades or marks will be decided later. Admissions to postgraduate classes will be decided after a call is taken on the assessment for undergraduate classes. No decision is taken on conducting exams for final-year students.