The University Grants Commission (UGC) has formulated a recovery guideline to compensate the loss public university students have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The guideline, signed by UGC Secretary (additional responsibilities) Ferdous Zaman, was sent to the Vice-chancellors (VCs) and Registrars of all public universities on Tuesday. It contains six way-out, including reducing the time of academic year, stopping different types of leave, and completing the full syllabus.
Earlier on May 31, there was a views exchange meeting among the Ministry of Education, UGC and the Vice-chancellors on the opening of public universities. It was presided over by Education Minister Dipu Moni, while Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury and UGC Chairman Dr Kazi Shahidullah were present. The meeting had decided to formulate a recovery guideline according to the capacity and circumstances of the universities.
The recovery guidelines formulated by the UGC are:
The duration of the conventional / existing academic calendar of the university should be significantly reduced and acceptable;
Various holidays (summer vacation, winter vacation, festival vacation) likely to be reduced to complete the final examination of class / class test / assignment / quiz / semester in all subjects including practical subjects in case of semester / term or annual system;
The existing duration of each class (theoretical and practical) will remain in force. The lecture period cannot be reduced. However, even if the number of lectures need to be reduced, the full syllabus must be completed within the scheduled time;
In the interest of reducing the time in the academic calendar, things like class tests / quizzes / mid-term exams / assignments / term papers can be reconsidered;
In case of final examination, Preparatory Leave, the gap between the examinations of two subjects and the gap between the year / semester / term (Inter Semester / Term / Year Break) can be reduced;
And above all, after being accepted and approved the recovery plan by the Academic Council, the academic calendar should be disseminated to the students at the beginning of the academic year, published on the university website and all necessary steps should be taken to implement the approved academic calendar.