HYDERABAD: After a delay of almost five months in the commencement of academic year 2020-21, online classes for degree courses for first-year students will begin in the State from Monday.
A total of 2.17 lakh students have selected degree seats though the Degree Online Services, Telangana (DOST) 2020. This academic year, at least 38,000 more candidates have registered for degree courses.
“We had around 1.80 lakh registrations through DOST in the academic year 2019-20, this year, as all the Intermediate second-year candidates have been cleared, the count has come to 2.17 lakh. Moreover, we conducted a special drive to get more admissions this year,” DOST Convener R Limbadri told Express.
“We have lost nearly a semester. The plan for the fresh batch is yet to be chalked out. We would probably have to reduce the syllabus or make it a conjoint academic year with just one-semester instead of two,” said T Papi Reddy, Chairman of TSCHE.
“However, we are yet to decide on when to begin the regular classes. It will be decided, after a review meeting on December 15 with the Health Department. On a positive note, both the number of Covid-19 cases and the death rate have declined in the State,” he said.
“If the intensity of the pandemic reduces further, we will decide on re-opening of colleges in a phased manner,” he added.Professional courses
TSCHE officials also said that the government would, soon begin online classes for engineering, pharmacy, agriculture and other professional degree courses.
Meanwhile, both Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) and Directorate of School Education Department (DSE) have not decided on re-opening of junior colleges and schools in the State.