Gauhati University vice-chancellor Pratap Jyoti Handique has proposed to reopen the institution in June.

Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had held a video conference with 17 vice-chancellors on Thursday to deliberate on measures to ensure that the academic year is not lost and to seek ideas and innovations for the learning and teaching framework.

The vice-chancellors were asked to submit their views and recommendations within three days, based on which the government would come up with some measures by May 3 or 4.

Handique told The Telegraph on Monday, “We propose to reopen the university in June and will submit our proposal to the government soon. We also proposed to organise the post-graduate exam in August and under-graduate exam in July but subject to the government’s decision on lockdown.”

He said the GU has already withdrawn this year’s summer vacation to hold classes of the university and affiliated colleges and institutes in view of the unprecedented Covid-19 situation. The university has about 350 colleges and three lakh students under it.

Cotton University vice-chancellor Bhabesh Chandra Goswami said they would reopen after other universities do and have already submitted their proposals. “Our maximum students stay in hostels and many come from outside Assam. It will be tough to take a risk,” he said.

Goswami also said students and teachers have been asked to take online classes so that education is not hampered.

“We have also appealed to our students living in green zones to generate awareness among school-going students about the social responsibility of maintaining government norms. We also propose to redesign the routine of next academic year, which usually begins in August, by reducing holidays like Durga Puja and Diwali to compensate for the loss,” he added.

Dipak Kumar Sharma, vice-chancellor of Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University at Nalbari in lower Assam, said if everything goes according to plan, the university may open in June. “We will organise classes for 35-40 days for the students and exams can be held in August. We can start our next session from September. Our faculty and students are ready to do classes on Sundays and during the summer vacation,” he said.

He said the university would submit its recommendations on Tuesday.

The session in universities begin from August and the next batch is slated for admission in July. The university students will lose around 65 days if the lockdown continues till May 30. Classes have remained suspended since March 17.