The air was festive on the Calcutta University Law College campus on Hazra Road as students returned for offline classes after a monthlong break.
The campus had officially reopened on February 3, in keeping with the West Bengal government’s directive to all educational institutions in the state, but in-person classes began on February 8.
Students were happy to meet their friends and teachers but some were anxious about the possibility of offline examinations.
Here’s what the students had to say:
On returning to the campus
Nostalgia hit me as soon as I stepped onto the campus. I met my professors and fellow students, trying to get a grip on the fact that I was no longer in the comfort of my home struggling to keep up with online classes. We discussed with our peers how we should function in our daily lives with these massive changes. Many of my doubts were cleared by professors.
—Kaustav Basu, a second-year Law student
On offline examinations
I am nervous and at the same time happy about the possibility of offline examination. I know for a fact now that I will not be able to leave any loose ends when it comes to my semesters. Also, getting used to the constant vigilance that comes with offline examinations would be indeed tough. In the past two years, we have got used to writing exams from the comfort of our own homes. Our professors are helping us overcome this fear by sharing notes from and now with access to the university library, I feel I would not have to worry on that count.
— Arkajyoti Mohinta, a second-year Law student
Access to resources
Law books are very expensive and given the pandemic situation it has been difficult for me to proper books on certain topics. But now with the library opening up, I can access all the books I need.
— Celina Dutta, a second-year Law student
Covering the syllabus
At times, we have a lot of topics to cover and there is a lot to study. When we have offline lectures, even if we do not study a topic by heart, attending lectures helps us get an idea about it. Offline we can always approach the professors and ask them to clear our doubts, which we missed online.
— Shaswatik Chatterjee, third-year Law student