After SSU, Kumaun University plans to start annual examination system

NAINITAL: A day after the state government announced plans to do away with the semester system in Sridev Suman Uttarakhand University, another state varsity, Kumaun University (KU) said that it plans to introduce annual examination system in half of its 105 colleges , and that its three main campuses won’t do away with semesters.

University officials said that they have asked the colleges affiliated with the varsity to write to them and after consideration, the semester system would be changed to the annual one. “We have over 100 colleges affiliated to us. We have already asked them to give us in writing that they want to move from semester system to the annual exam pattern and their request will be sanctioned,” said KU vice-chancellor (V-C), KS Rana.

He pointed out that only the degree colleges have the freedom to move from semester to annual exams and the rest have to follow the semester system. “The exam pattern will be changed only for the first year of the degree colleges. Rest of the colleges will continue to have exams twice every session,” the V-C said, adding that there are at least 50 such colleges under Kumaun University which would have annual exams now.

The reason given by the university for not changing the examination system in three of its campus colleges and over 50 colleges is that they are governed by UGC guidelines which will stop grants to the colleges and the varsity if they move from the semester system. “We come directly under the UGC. Therefore, if the semester system is done away with, we will not get their grants,” Rana said.