The department of chemistry, which is first among the departments of Calcutta University to start postgraduate practical classes on campus from Monday, will resume lab work only for third semester students to avoid crowding, said a university official.

A department committee meeting on Thursday decided that first semester classes would not be started immediately as the first-year batch could not be split into small groups as the practical paper was common.

“First-semester has 70 students. Third semester has an equal number of students but as the practical classes are split into specialised areas — organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry — from second year, the batch can be split into small groups,” said a teacher of the department.

Each group in the third semester will be split into two sub groups based on the specialised paper. Classes will be held thrice a week involving each sub group.

The university has started the sanitisation process of the labs that are located at Rajabazar Science College.

Physics department will start practical classes with students of the first semester from Wednesday.

Since the practical papers in physics are spread over the first and second semester, the first-year students are being called, said a teacher of the department.

The batch will be split into four groups. Classes will be held twice a week and each day will be set aside for each group.

Practical classes can be held on Calcutta University campuses, provided students attend them in small batches, vice-chancellor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee had said on Monday following a letter from the Calcutta University Teachers’ Association urging her “to allow holding practical classes in willing departments maintaining Covid-19 safety protocols” since those classes are essential for many courses.

“It has been left to the departments to decide on when they want to start classes,” she said earlier.

However, there is no clarity on whether the colleges can start the practical classes for the undergraduate students.

The principal of New Alipore College, Joydeep Sarangi, said: “Our students want to know when practical classes will start. We are planning to get in touch with the university”.

The exams of the fifth semester for the undergraduate students are likely to be held in March.

IIEST convocation postponed

IIEST Shibpur has postponed its convocation because the institute’s director, Parthasarathi Chakrabarti, has been admitted to hospital with Covid, an official of the institute said.

The convocation, which was to be held virtually, had been scheduled for January 30. A notice signed by IIEST registrar Biman Banerjee says “the annual convocation has been postponed till further order” because of unavoidable circumstances. A revised date will be announced later.

Chakrabarti’s condition is stable, the official said.