Calicut University revokes order on change in academic calendar

The University of Calicut has revoked its order abruptly changing the academic calendar of second semester undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

According to a new order by the university on Monday, the second semester will end only on August 31. The third semester classes for undergraduate, postgraduate, B.Ed. and M.Ed. courses will begin on September 1. The order is applicable to the departments on the university campus as well as various university-approved study centres. The latest order is believed to have been issued in the wake of the objections raised by a section of teachers. Arun Karippal, a Senate member, has also written to the Vice-Chancellor against the move.

On July 29, the university had issued an order calling for completion of second semester classes in undergraduate courses without entrance examination on August 2 and those with entrance examination on August 18. Classes for second semester B.Ed. and M.Ed. courses should have ended on August 16. Postgraduate courses with and without entrance examination were asked to end their second semester classes on August 18.

Classes for third semester undergraduate courses were asked to commence on August 3 and those for other courses mentioned earlier on August 31. As per the original academic calendar, the second semester classes for undergraduate and postgraduate courses were supposed to end only on September 27.

The Confederation of Kerala College Teachers, an organisation affiliated to the Indian Union Muslim League, had protested against the move. Mr. Karippal had claimed that both the students and the teachers had been under stress because they were supposed to complete all the formalities of normal classes, such as assignments, seminars and internal assessment, in online mode as well. Undergraduate students were being asked to enter the third semester though the exams for the first and second semesters were not over.