UGC asks universities to complete admissions to 1st-year courses by Sept 30

University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday directed colleges that the admissions to first-year courses for the session 2021-22 should be completed no later than September 30 and the academic session must commence on October 1, 2021.

UGC has issued guidelines on examinations and academic calendars in view of COVID-19 to all universities and colleges. Rajnish Jain, Secretary, UGC sent a letter to Vice-Chancellors of universities and principals of colleges and informed them about fresh guidelines on examination and academic calendar in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said, "Admissions to the first-year courses/programmes for the session 2021-2022, shall be completed by no later than September 30, 2021. The last date for admissions to fill up the remaining vacant seats shall be October 31, 2021. The relevant documents of the qualifying examination can be accepted up to December 31, 2021."

"The academic session 2021-2022 shall commence latest by October 1, 2021, for first semester/year students," UGC added.

As per guidelines of UGC guideline on examination, the current academic session 2020-21 the Terminal Semester/ Final Year Examinations (2020-2021) be compulsorily conducted in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online+offline) mode by no later than August 31, 2021, following the prescribed protocols/guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results of all the school boards for Class XII are expected to be declared by July 31, 2021.

However, if there is a delay in the declaration of results, higher education institutions may plan and start the academic session by October 18, 2021. "The teaching-learning process may continue in online/offline/ blended mode," UGC added.