Jadavpur University will conduct regular classes through “distance digital mode” from August 23 so that students of the intermediate semester can be compensated for the classes they had missed out on in the previous semester because of the lockdown.

Half the classes of the previous semester could not be held because the campus had to be shut down as a precaution against Covid-19.

The compensatory classes will be held for arts and science students. As for the engineering students, the date of commencement of such classes will be decided later.

“Ahead of the start of the classes of the next semester from September 14, the teachers will hold classes through distance digital mode so that the students could make up for the classes they had missed,” said vice-chancellor Suranjan Das.

An official said in the “distance digital mode”, study materials such as notes, soft copies of textbooks, and audio and video demonstrations would be made available to the students through email and WhatsApp.

After a student goes through the study materials, he or she will get an opportunity to interact with the teacher concerned through email or WhatsApp to clear doubts. Teachers can form sub-groups of students and engage with each through conference calls to clear doubts.

“Since making a conference call does not require any Internet connectivity on the handheld device, we want to apply this model,’’ said Partha Pratim Roy, an associate professor of physics department.

The university is raising funds to provide smartphones and high-speed data packs to 800-odd students who have poor Net connectivity at home, so they can attend classes from September 14. Will these students be left out of the compensatory classes?

“It is unlikely they could be given the devices or data packs before August 23. We have left it to the teachers to decide how to reach out to the students,” said VC Das. “If nothing can be done, then additional classes should be held for these students when they will be handed the devices and the data pack.”