Jadavpur University is planning to deliver question papers of end-semester exams to and collect answer scripts from the homes of students who lack a smart device or Internet connectivity, an official said.

The other students will receive the questions through group email or WhatsApp and send the answers through these services.

The possible models were discussed at the faculty council meeting of arts and science on Sunday. “The models will have to be approved by the university’s exam board, which will meet this week,’’ the official said.

The Supreme Court in a recent judgment set aside academic institutes’ decision to publish results on the basis of weightage to the performance in previous semesters and scores in internal assignments. The court upheld the UGC’s directive that graduating students have to write an examination.

Since students could not be asked to come to the campus to write the test because of the Covid-19 pandemic, JU is thinking of innovative models such as sending employees to the houses of students struggling with poor Net connectivity to deliver question papers and collect answer scripts. “The exams will have to be held overcoming the digital divide,’’ the head of a department said.

JU vice-chancellor Suranjan Das said: ’The exam board is likely to meet on Monday or Tuesday. An elaborate arrangement will be made so the students do not face any problem writing their papers.”

A student may not have access to a computer or smartphone because of financial constraints or may have connectivity issues in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, which flattened large stretches of the Sunderbans and other places in south Bengal, a JU official said.

The university could send men in vehicles to the houses of students living in adjacent districts such as North and South 24-Parganas to deliver question papers and collect answer scripts. If a student lives in far-off places like Birbhum or Bankura, employees will travel by train.

The university has students from Kashmir, which has been facing problems over Internet connection since it lost its special status in August last year.

Those who have access to the Internet will receive questions by email and WhatsApp and have two hours to write the answers. The answers will have to be sent back the same way.

“They will have another hour to send the answers through the same services. If required, a student can write the answers on a script and get the copies scanned or take photos of the scripts on the mobile camera and send them through email or WhatsApp. That’s why an hour is being given to send the answers,’’ a teacher at the university said.

Jadavpur University is planning to deliver question papers of end-semester exams to and collect answer scripts from the homes of students who lack a smart device or Internet connectivity, an official said.

The other students will receive the questions through group email or WhatsApp and send the answers through these services.

The possible models were discussed at the faculty council meeting of arts and science on Sunday. “The models will have to be approved by the university’s exam board, which will meet this week,’’ the official said.

The Supreme Court in a recent judgment set aside academic institutes’ decision to publish results on the basis of weightage to the performance in previous semesters and scores in internal assignments. The court upheld the UGC’s directive that graduating students have to write an examination.

Since students could not be asked to come to the campus to write the test because of the Covid-19 pandemic, JU is thinking of innovative models such as sending employees to the houses of students struggling with poor Net connectivity to deliver question papers and collect answer scripts. “The exams will have to be held overcoming the digital divide,’’ the head of a department said.

JU vice-chancellor Suranjan Das said: ’The exam board is likely to meet on Monday or Tuesday. An elaborate arrangement will be made so the students do not face any problem writing their papers.”

A student may not have access to a computer or smartphone because of financial constraints or may have connectivity issues in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, which flattened large stretches of the Sunderbans and other places in south Bengal, a JU official said.

The university could send men in vehicles to the houses of students living in adjacent districts such as North and South 24-Parganas to deliver question papers and collect answer scripts. If a student lives in far-off places like Birbhum or Bankura, employees will travel by train.

The university has students from Kashmir, which has been facing problems over Internet connection since it lost its special status in August last year.

Those who have access to the Internet will receive questions by email and WhatsApp and have two hours to write the answers. The answers will have to be sent back the same way.

“They will have another hour to send the answers through the same services. If required, a student can write the answers on a script and get the copies scanned or take photos of the scripts on the mobile camera and send them through email or WhatsApp. That’s why an hour is being given to send the answers,’’ a teacher at the university said.