Calcutta University postpones undergraduate examinations; revised exam dates to be announced soon

Calcutta University (CU) has deferred its undergraduate examinations, which more than 10,000 students are scheduled to take. A notification issued on Friday by CU’s Controller of Examinations, Jayanta Sinha, said that the revised date for the examinations will be announced shortly. [caption id=“attachment_5053891” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The Indian Express reported that the Bachelor of Science Part I practicals (honours) and Bachelor in Fashion and Apparel Designing (BFAD) theory exams, which were originally scheduled for 28 August, will be rescheduled. Many have speculated that the examinations have been pushed because of a date clash with the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad’s (TMCP) Foundation Day celebration, according to  The Times of India.  The rumours have elicited criticism. “This is a clear example of how the ruling party has turned education institutions into party offices. They are just following what the ruling party is dictating. The examinations have been deferred so that students who are members of TMCP can attend the foundation day rally,” SFI state president Pratik Ur Rahman was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. The TMCP, however, has denied the claims. They said that the postponement of the examination dates is an internal matter of the university, and only its authorities can clarify why they have taken such a decision. As per the report from _The Times of India, t_he annual TMCP Foundation Day event is celebrated on a large scale, where TMCP leaders address members of the party’s student wing. Since the party came to power in 2011, thousands of students across the state have been attending the programme. To mark the occasion this year, party president and chief minister Mamata Banerjee will address a rally near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue on Mayo Road. The Indian Express speculated that she is likely to make some key announcements at the rally, including naming the new TMCP president. The post has been vacant since Jaya Dutta was removed from the position in June.