Bhubaneswar: The Higher Education department Wednesday directed colleges and universities across Odisha to begin classes in online mode for undergraduate (UG) 1st year students from March 1.
It is not possible now to commence physical classes for UG 1st year students who have taken admission recently as COVID-19 situation is resurging, said the department Principal Secretary Saswat Mishra.
The Principal Secretary wrote a letter in this regard to all Vice-Chancellors of universities as well as principals of government and non-government degree colleges in the state. “If teaching for these students is not started immediately, they will heavily lose on the academic front. Therefore, you are advised to start UG 1st Year classes in online mode from 01.03.2021,” the letter read.
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Mishra went on advising the VCs and principals to strictly follow guidelines issued by the department June 19, 2020 for Guided Self-Study (covering 25% of each unit) and plan to cover the syllabus.
Notably, imparting the physical classroom teaching has begun from January 11 for final year UG and PG courses and from February 10 for PG 1st year and UG pre-final year courses across the state.
PNN