Now, online classes at PU from Sept 1

CHANDIGARH : Even as students continue to demand semester fee waiver, Panjab University (PU) on Monday decided that no online classes will be conducted till August 31 for the first semester of 2020-21 academic session.

Online classes for the ongoing batches began on August 3 at PU and its affiliated colleges.

The decision was taken by a special panel constituted by the university syndicate for academic session, online teaching and examination-related issues. It was headed by syndic Navdeep Goyal. However, online classes will continue at the affiliated colleges of the university.

This has come after PU students held a protest on the campus on Monday for the second time, seeking semester fee waiver amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A member of the syndicate panel said, “The online classes will start from September 1 in the teaching departments of the university. Till then, the students will take admission and pay fee.”

In an official communiqué, the university has stated that the faculty will engage students in online mode for clearing doubts or covering leftover topics of previous semester subjects from August 11 to August 31, 2020.

The last date for depositing the semester fee has been extended till August 31. Earlier, the panel had fixed August 10 as the last date for depositing the fee.

ANOTHER PROTEST

Various student organisations on Monday once again protested

outside the PU administration block demanding semester fee waiver. Earlier, they had lodged a stir on the issue on Friday which had led to a scuffle between students and security personnel at the university.

The student leaders have urged everyone not to pay semester fee till August 31. “Students should not pay the semester fee till a final decision is taken by the university,” said Chetan Chaudhary, former president of PU students’ council.

Meanwhile, the syndicate panel has also recommended the vice-chancellor to constitute a committee under PU’S Dean Students Welfare (DSW) to look into the genuine cases of students who cannot pay fee amid the pandemic. Students who are not able to pay fee, can write to the university. “A policy is being framed to help the students who are not in a position to pay fee due to the pandemic,” said Dean University Instructions RK Singla.