Bengal minister instructs universities to defer exams for Saraswati Puja

West Bengal Higher Education Minister Partha Chatterjee has said the state government instructed the universities, which have announced to conduct semester examinations on January 30, to defer it due to Saraswati Puja.

The minister also said it would not be a suitable time for conducting examinations as the Saraswati Puja is on January 29 and the festivities will continue till the next day.

“I have come to know about it (semester examination scheduled on January 30) from various students bodies including the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad and have instructed the universities concerned to postpone it,” Chatterjee said.

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He wondered how the authority of any university took such a decision without checking the calendar and consulting with the higher education department. “I was surprised. It seems the authorities concerned are lacking practical sense,” Chatterjee said.

According to TMCP sources, the Calcutta University has scheduled some undergraduate examination on January 30.

The minister also said, “Can we think about conducting examinations on Bijoya Dashami during Durga puja? Did the universities deem it appropriate to consult with the government before announcing the date?”