The higher education department has asked the vice-chancellors to state what steps they are taking during the lockdown to complete the syllabus, an official of the department said.

The official told Metro that the principal secretary of the higher education department, Manish Jain, was in touch with the VCs of all state-aided universities and reviewing the steps taken by them.

When contacted, Jain declined to comment.

“The department has reminded the VCs about the compulsions of the choice-based credit system and the need to complete the syllabus in time,” an official said.

Jadavpur University VC Suranjan Das said teachers were free to take online classes as much as possible, but they had been asked not to hold any evaluation online.

“All students may not have the facility to take part in online evaluation,” said Das.

The state government had asked all colleges and universities to remain shut from March 16 till April 15 to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The higher education department on Wednesday asked all colleges to state by Thursday whether they have started online classes. The colleges where online lessons have started have to submit a report mentioning details.

Jaydeep Sarangi, the principal of New Alipore College, said the institution had been conducting online classes in English, math, anthropology, commerce, political science and philosophy since March 22.

Siuli Sarkar, the principal of Lady Brabourne College, too, said online classes had started in many subjects.