UGC directs universities, HEIs to issue academic calendar 2024-25

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed higher education institutes (HEIs) to announce their respective academic calendar 2024-25. The UGC has also told the HEIs to adhere to the timeline mentioned in the UGC (Minimum Standards of lnstruction for the Grant of the First Degree through Formal Education) Regulations, 2003. The UGC norms deal with the commencement of academic session, exam schedule and declaration of results by the universities and HEIs.

The academic calendar 2024-25 will also have to contain details such as vacations and the last day of semester. “Releasing the calendar in advance ensures that academic activities are conducted as per the plan. This helps in promoting quality teaching-learning and research,” the UGC said.

As per UGC’s guidelines, the university will have to ensure that first-year classes of various courses, excluding professional programmes, commence by not later than the first week of August. The classes for students in second-year and onwards will have to be started by the third week of July. The universities will also have to ensure that the result of courses offered by respective universities will have to be declared by the last week of June.

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Relaxation for professional courses

The universities will get a flexibility of up to two weeks to start classes of professional courses for students in second-year and onwards.

The UGC said the academic calendar of HEIs should also mention the date/s for award of degree. “The HEIs are requested to announce their academic calendar, giving the schedules for all its activities during the year, and also adhere to the timeline for the commencement of the academic session, exam schedule, and declaration of results as prescribed by the UGC or the relevant statutory regulatory councils,” the UGC said.