Punjab University slashes holidays for students

Updated on: Monday, November 19, 2012

The new holiday schedule is likely to come as an unpleasant surprise for students in colleges and Panjab University. There will be no preparatory leaves for in-house exams in September and December, assessment for which is added to annual exams conducted by Panjab University in April-May.

As per the decision taken by a committee constituted by the university under the chairpersonship of the Dean, University Instructions (DUI), the autumn break and other holiday schedule of PU departments will be revised from 2013. The issue surfaced when the director, higher education office (DHE), UT pointed out that the minimum teaching days criteria in colleges was not being followed. The DHE said UGC norms make 180 working days mandatory, but said this norm was being flouted in UT colleges.

"The committee observed that students do not require too many holidays to prepare for in-house exams in colleges and continuous assessment exams in PU departments. Teaching must continue irrespective of exams," PU registrar and committee member A K Bhandari said.

Even though PU follows the semester system for post-graduate courses, the holiday schedule continues to remain on the lines of the annual system. "The holiday schedule and semester system will be synchronized from next year. This may also require cutting down on the autumn break or other holidays to ensure that norms are met," R K Kohli, PU DUI, who was heading the committee, said.

Although the committee has decided to discontinue preparatory leave for in-house exams, college principals will be called for further discussion on the matter. "Whether evaluation in colleges is done on the basis of presentations or written tests, it will be done during teaching days. Colleges are free to conduct more than one exam in a single day as well. The September exams may be made of one hour duration, a discussion was held in the matter," Bhandari said.

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