Arts and science colleges have not entirely ruled out the scope for start of offline classes during this academic year. During the 2020-21 academic session, the offline classes could be conducted only from December.
For this academic year, the pandemic, in a way, favoured the colleges to carry out repair and maintenance works in time, such that classrooms and hostel rooms could be utilised at short notice, according to principals.
Though the college were closed, the support staff continued to report for duty enabling continuity of maintenance of the classrooms, laboratories and the hostel buildings, Principal of St. Joseph's College, Rev. Fr. M. Arockiasamy Xavier, said.
The clarity that UG admissions must be carried out only from August 1 onwards, after publication of Plus Two results, which is expected to be announced by the last week of this month, has provided the colleges sufficient window time for readying the campus.
Usually, colleges keep some seats unfilled till the publication of Plus Two results by the CBSE. This time around, the results of both CBSE and State Boards are expected during the last week of July.
Though the formulas factoring in the scores in 10th, 11th and 12th standards for the two boards are different, the colleges, in all probability will be able to arrive at a common cut-off for the students based on the consolidated scores, according to teachers involved in the admission process.
The clarity that the admission of CBSE and State Board students must be carried out on the basis of 30:30:40 and 50:20:30 formulas has removed any scope for ambiguity.
The colleges believe the students will be provided with a common statement of marks with consolidation of the scores in 10th, 11th and 12th standards, to form the basis for college admissions.
The colleges are seemingly prepared to wait for the start of the academic year.
Be it autonomous or non-autonomous colleges, the academic year will start on a common date for UG students, according to officials in the Department of Collegiate education.
