Final semester UG, PG exams held in digital mode in West Bengal universities

Final semester undergruate and postgruate examinations were held on digital mode in state universities of West Bengal on Thursday, officials said.

University authorities said exams were conducted strictly in two hour duration on digital mode giving scope to students to consult reference books and texts while writing papers.

exams for 104 subjects under 152 colleges at undergruate level of Calcutta University started at 10 am with candidates answering papers from ir home, Vice Chancellor Sonali Chakraborty Banerjee told PTI.

tests, of two-hour duration, kicked off in three different time slots from 10 am, 12 on and 2 pm and students were given questions 15 minutes before exams began, she said.

Each candidate was given ar half an hour to mail answers in pdf attachment to college authorities, she said, ding it was difficult for a candidate to write answers to questions me kwn to him/her 15 minute before scheduled time from volumius reference materials.

At postgruate level, examinations for 68 subjects took place similarly as candidates answered papers from home in view of COVID-19 situation.

" virtual mode exams were held smoothly and we haven't received any complaint from college authorities," VC said.

re were unconfirmed reports in a section of media about UG candidates writing papers in classrooms sitting on single desk each with masks after downloing questions from mobile/laptops at Acharya Jagish Chandra Bose College in city, raising eyebrows.

When contacted CU Vice-Chancellor, however, said university only arranges question papers and decides course materials for affiliated colleges but ministrative side and modus operandi of holding exams rests with respective college authorities.

Education minister Partha Chatterjee did t take calls.

Ar CU official said, a multiple choice format mode was mostly followed in setting questions and time limit was set after due consideration.

re are 1.5 lakh students, comprising both undergruate and postgruate levels, in Calcutta University.

In Javpur University, exams began in both Arts and Science faculties on a digital mode following all UGC guidelines, Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das said.

A Javpur university professor said, around 1,800 students in arts stream and 1,200 students in science faculty wrote ir papers in two time slots - 11.30 am to 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

exams will continue till October 8, he said.

"re have been stray reports about few students t getting questions but it was found that y h d wrong mail ids and once y corrected it, y received questions soon afterwards," professor said.

VC of rth Bengal University Subiresh Bhattacharya said, UG exams of a two-hour duration were conducted on virtual mode under 50 affiliated colleges.

"While candidates mostly mailed answer sheets with attachment, a few submitted hard copy of ir sheets in sealed cover, 30 minutes after exams were over, to designated collection centre of college," he said.

Education Minister Partha Chatterjee h on Tuesday asked power utilities, Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) and West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), to ensure that re was disruption of power supply during exams.

higher education department h asked universities to conduct final semester exams between October 1 to 18 after UGC consented to state's proposal in this regard. 

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