Chennai: Anna University, the umbrella body of engineering education in Tamilnadu, has announced that online classes will commence in engineering colleges in the State from 12 August.
A decision to conduct the classes online has been taken in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, due to which educational institutions across the country remain shut since March this year.
Meanwhile, with more than 20,000 engineering students with job offers anxiously waiting to start their careers, Anna University has decided to conduct end-semester exams for final year students as online proctoring tests by the end of this month. Anna University is the first state university to decide to conduct online exams amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Recently, Higher Education Minister K P Anbalagan had an online meeting with Vice-Chancellors of State universities to discuss reopening of colleges, reducing the syllabus and awarding marks for cancelled exams. Higher Education Secretary Apoorva and others took part.
Meanwhile, in a bid to improve the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), the Tamilnadu Higher Education Department has decided to abolish the two-shift system in 50 recently-established government arts and science colleges.