Normal academic calendar unlikely next year too: Experts

Normal academic calendar unlikely next year too: Experts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad:08.02.2021 

Delay in completing classes for the academic year 2020-21 is set to have a cascading effect on the next academic year as well, including admissions and classes.

Even as admissions for the 2020-21 academic year concluded recently, officials have already started planning the academic calendar for 2021-22 in order to fill the gap that crept in due to Covid-19 last year.

Due to the pandemic, classes in colleges and universities commenced only in September instead of July. With the Telangana Intermediate exams scheduled to be held between May 1 and May 20, the government anticipates to conduct the common entrance tests only by June.

“We expect a delay of nearly three months in the academic calendar. It is going to take long before we actually go on to the normal academic calendar that existed in pre-Covid-19 times,” Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) chairman Papi Reddy said.

Colleges admit that it is indeed a race against time as they have to grapple with the delay even this year.

“This year, most universities have decided to give only four to seven days of summer holidays as against 30-45 days every year. All efforts are on to ensure the gap is filled this year so that the next academic year can commence on a much smoother note,” Telangana Pharmacy Colleges Association president Dr K Ramdass said.

Teachers might have to work throughout the year to make up for the loss of working days, Dr Ramdass added.