Parents in Odisha seek revision of academic calendar

BHUBANESWAR: With the Union Ministry of Education approving the UGC guidelines on academic calendar for first year undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students for 2020-21 academic session from November, parents in Odisha have demanded a similar decision for students of Class I to XII. 

Members of the Odisha Parents’ Federation, a State-level parents body, have demanded that the academic year in the State for school students also need to be revised. The session should begin from November or December to June or July without any additional holidays, except Sundays, to facilitate smooth conduct of study. The federation also proposed that the same format be continued for the next year and gradually be brought down to April from the 2022-23 academic session to reduce the burden on students. 

The parents body has urged the State Government and the Centre to revise the academic calendar citing that schools are not reopening in the State before Puja vacation, while school syllabus has been revised by 25 to 30 per cent. 

They said revision of academic calendar will prove beneficial for lakhs of students who have been deprived of access to online education due to various reasons including financial constraints as well as poor internet connectivity.