Calcutta University defers 3rd semester UG exams due to incomplete syllabus
Telegraph | 5 February 2026
Calcutta University has decided to defer the third-semester examinations at the undergraduate level as the syllabus could not be completed, said vice-chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh.
The examinations were scheduled to commence on February 23.
“We have decided to defer the exam as the syllabus could not be completed. I have asked the controller of examinations to work out a fresh schedule,” said Ghosh.
“The start of examinations could be pushed back by 15 days,” said Ghosh.
The university took the decision after a section of students from across the colleges staged a demonstration “on the CU College Street campus on Monday, demanding
that the examinations be deferred as syllabus was not completed.
They alleged that out of the 66 class days in the third semester, only 40 class days were held.
The students said that they would struggle to write the tests with the syllabus remaining incomplete.
Calcutta University, in late November last year, had decided to reduce the number of holidays in its affiliated colleges because too many
breaks were hindering completion of the syllabus for the four-year undergraduate programmes.
Principals speak
Siuli Sarkar, the principal of Lady Brabourne College, said that after the completion of the second-semester examinations in November, classes for the third semester began in December.
“They are not getting adequate class days. If the classes are not held, the syllabus will remain incomplete. How will students write the examinations? The university
should defer the examinations, as this would allow students more time to prepare,” said Sarkar.
“The four-year undergraduate programme, which was introduced in 2023 under the National Education Policy (NEP), is exhaustive. A student would struggle to
write a semester examination if such an exhaustive syllabus in a particular semester remained incomplete,” said Sarkar.
She said a prolonged vacation is one of the reasons that disrupts class days.
Government and aided colleges opened in the first week of November last year after the Durga Puja vacation, which started on September 24.
Manas Kabi, the principal of Asutosh College, said that since the university does not have an academic calendar, the number of classes was getting reduced.
“The new VC is doing his best to introduce an academic calendar. I believe that the third-semester examination schedule should be pushed back because adequate classes have not been held,” said Kabi.
“If the examinations cannot be deferred, then the university should set questions based on the part of the syllabus that has been covered so far,” he said.
The colleges now enjoy more than 100 holidays in a year.
The university aims to reduce it to 35 days, like its campuses, said a university official.
“If the holidays are not brought down, we will not be able to complete the syllabus,” the official said.
Academic calendar
In a unanimous decision, the syndicate, in its meeting held on November 27 last year, empowered the vice-chancellor to initiate steps to complete the formalities to amend the statutes, thereby restricting the holiday list.
“Once the formalities are completed and approved by the governor and the higher education department, the colleges will be informed about the revised holiday list,” the official said.
A member of the syndicate said the colleges now enjoy lengthy summer, puja and winter breaks.
Many colleges have local holidays too.
VC Ghosh said on Tuesday that they are working on the academic calendar.
“We want to conduct the third semester examinations at the earliest as the Assembly elections are approaching,” he said.