First semester exams of four-year undergraduate programme in Kerala postponed

Exams, which were initially scheduled between November 5 and November 25, will now be held between November 20 and December 8

The first semester examinations for the newly introduced four-year undergraduate programme (FYUGP) in Kerala, initially scheduled between November 5 and November 25, will now be held between November 20 and December 8.

A meeting of Vice-Chancellors convened by R. Bindu, Minister for Higher Education, here on Monday (October 21, 2024) decided to postpone the exams based on the inference that the required academic days could not be achieved owing to various factors, including the landslides in Wayanad on July 30 and the extended admission window period for the four year undergraduate programmes.

However, the Minister said that the results of the first semester exams will be published before December 22, as decided earlier. The change in schedule will be applicable for autonomous colleges too, she said.

On whether the Vice-Chancellors had raised issues related to the implementation of the four-year undergraduate programmes, she said that systems are in place to address such issues. “There are no major complaints and students have welcomed it as per the feedback received,” she said.

The training for teachers on the changes in classroom communication modes and revised exam-evaluation systems under the four-year undergraduate programme will be completed before February 28, 2025. The State Council of Educational Research and Training will prepare a project for organising an orientation programme on the FYUGP for students in about 2,500 higher secondary schools in the State in January, 2025, she said.

Ms. Bindu said a Bill on regulating the educational consultancy sector will be tabled in the next Assembly session. The legislation permitting private universities in the State is also on the anvil, she said.

On the delay in submitting the application for extension of autonomous status of the Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, the Minister said that the University Grants Commission has not yet cancelled the autonomous status of the college and students need not be anxious about it. The process of applying on the UGC’s portal for extension of the autonomous status, which expired in 2020, has been initiated, the Minister added.

Published - October 21, 2024 03:50 pm IST