Proposal to replace mid-term examinations with class tests

Chandigarh, March 23

Panjab University (PU) has approved the suggestion of Prof Devinder Mehta, Dean Sciences, that to save time of 8-10 days, mid-term examinations should be replaced with class tests. The Syndicate will take a call on it on March 30.

The suggestion by teachers from colleges that core papers in BA Honours would be 2-2 in first and second semesters, 3-3 in third and fourth semesters and 2-2 in fifth and sixth semesters have also been incorporated.

The necessary modifications will be made in the template duration and number of periods per week in such a manner that the workload of teachers of any subject is not reduced. There were apprehensions that with the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), one-third of teachers would become surplus.

The affiliated colleges are free to offer as many elective subjects under the CBCS as per their available capacity as teachers from affiliated colleges expressed that due to poor infrastructural facilities, the colleges in rural areas would be able to offer only limited number of electives and they shouldn’t be compared with colleges at Chandigarh.

The PU has now approved the rules and regulations part of structure of CBCS with the stipulation that whole components of the programme in the first instance be placed before the Senate and would be implemented after its approval. The PU has about 190 affiliated colleges with over 2 lakh students.

The PU has also decided that subjects of Early Child Care, Cosmetology, Office Management and Secretarial Practice, Functional English and Functional Hindi will be included in the list of subjects to be offered as optional or elective subjects for the CBCS in affiliated colleges.

The Syndicate will take a call on changes suggested by various sub-committees with regard to structure, rules and regulations and evaluation for BA, BSc and BCom under the CBCS on March 30. — TNS