the goan I network
PANAJI
Coming to terms with the lockdown ordered by the State government and which takes effect from Monday, managements of schools in Goa and the colleges affiliated to Goa University utilized Sunday in assessing the impact on academic work on the remainder of the current scholastic year and have deferred examination schedules.
The Goa University has pushed forward all examinations by 10 days to April 15 onwards and schools are re-adjusting their own schedules similarly according to the status of curriculum coverage in their individual institutions. For all colleges offering the BA, BSc and BCom courses of the Goa University, exams will now begin from April 15 instead of April 5 as previously scheduled, according to Goa University Registrar, Professor YV Reddy.
The decision to defer the college examination schedule to April 15 onwards was taken after a meeting of deans, vice-deans, heads of teaching departments and principals of affiliated colleges which was chaired by Goa University vice-chancellor Varun Sahni on Sunday. Several principals expressed apprehension that since portions of the curriculum had not yet been covered, it would be difficult to go ahead with conducting the examinations as per the earlier schedule beginning April 5 forcing the re-scheduling, Prof Reddy told The Goan.
“All internal assessment tests will be conducted by the colleges when academic work resumes from April 1,” Professor Reddy said.
Meanwhile, a circular issued by Reddy on Sunday formally gave effect to the government ordered lockdown of educational institutions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reddy said in the circular that the government has decided to “suspended regular classes” for the University Schools/Departments and affiliated colleges from March 16-31.
Reddy also said in the circular that administrative offices of the University and affiliated colleges shall remain open and function during the above period and faculty members are required to be present on campuses for other academic work.
Chief Minister Pramod
Sawant on Saturday had announced a complete shutdown of all educational institutions from March 16 to 31, as a preventive measure to check the threat of COVID-19 which is transmitting at an alarming pace across the world.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared it a ‘global pandemic’ and the Centre too has declared the Coronavirus infectious disease a national disaster.
Meanwhile several schools in Goa got down to making alternate arrangements to complete the balance academic work of the current scholastic year. Some schools who have more or less completed curriculum instruction work have decided to go ahead with the examinations with minor adjustments in the schedule.
The Goa Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) meanwhile had already announced that there will be no change in the schedule of the class X (SSC) and class XII (HSSC) public examinations. 1 A fresh suspected case with symptoms of the novel Coronavirus disease and history of international travel to affected countries has been admitted to the isolation ward created at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, late Saturday night
2 The 36-year-old man had travelled to Goa from Kerala and was reported to GMC with symptoms of Covid-19. GMC has forwarded his oral and throat samples to Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai. Reports are likely to arrive by Monday
3 Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Russian female who was admitted previously has tested negative for the dreaded virus. The patient had travelled to Goa from Russia and had begun to show symptoms consistent with the onset of the viral disease
