Calcutta University has officially released guidelines for the re-entry of students into the undergraduate degree programme after they exited at the end of the second, fourth, or sixth semester. Under the four-year programme, students who have exited are permitted to continue with the same undergraduate course and subjects, provided they have successfully completed all previous semesters and examinations.
Background of the Entry and Exit Options
When the university introduced the four-year degree programme, it offered entry and exit options after every academic year, specifically at the end of the second, fourth, and sixth semesters. However, the university had not previously set guidelines for students who wished to resume the same course with the same subjects after exiting. The new guidelines aim to address this gap.
Detailed Re-entry Guidelines
The university has now prepared comprehensive re-entry guidelines. According to these rules, re-entry will be allowed only in odd semesters. For three-year undergraduate courses, this means semesters three and five, while for four-year courses, re-entry is permitted in semesters three, five, and seven. Students seeking to resume their courses must apply within three years of their exit. Additionally, they must have completed all semesters and respective tests within the stipulated seven-year period from their first enrolment.
The guidelines state: “Candidates are eligible to re-enter in their previous college or in any other UG college, affiliated with the University of Calcutta, subject to the issuance of a permission letter from the UG Council in favour of the candidate.” They further clarify that eligible candidates may re-enter only in the immediately next semester. A UG college may allow a student to re-enrol even if the student previously left that college, provided he or she meets the eligibility criteria.
Finalising the Syllabus and Student Decisions
The university is in the process of finalising the final-year syllabus, as it expects a significant number of students to exit after the sixth semester. A recent notice allowed students to revise their decision on whether to exit or continue with the existing course. An official stated: “The decision was approved at the Syndicate meeting at the end of March for students enrolled under the new system in the 2023-24 academic session. A proper guideline was required for those who wished to re-enter.”
The guidelines will be sent to undergraduate colleges shortly, ensuring that institutions are well-informed about the procedures for re-entry.
