In a move that will help the students and parents in general suffering due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, the Calcutta University has decided to waive the admission, tuition, examination and other fees for all semesters for the academic year 2021-2022. The “present pandemic situation” was cited as the reason for this major and important decision.

The notice issued by the University’s Registrar Debasis Das said: “In view of the present pandemic situation, the university has waived off all fees…. It is not required for the students to pay fees for collecting the mark sheets/grade sheets of different semester examinations.”

The offer of waiver of fees will be applicable to all courses except the self-financed ones. Further it will be valid for all postgraduate students and the students of the undergraduate courses run directly by the university, according to Das.

Among the undergraduate courses offered by the University on its campuses are courses in home science, engineering and law. The University’s B.Tech student studying in the first semester is expected to pay Rs.5,472, and this includes a monthly tuition fee of Rs.500 and a monthly laboratory fee of Rs.100.

The University Vice-Chancellor talking to the media said: “Amid the pandemic, family members of students have lost jobs or suffered pay cuts and this has caused severe financial constraints. We want to support students as much as possible during these trying times.”

Meanwhile, the Jadavpur University with the aim of helping the student community during the Coronavirus crisis, too has made some concessions. The institution has been offering a 25 per cent concession on tuition fees and a 50 per cent discount on laboratory fees.

The tuition fee of the postgraduate course in journalism and mass communication, a self-financed course, has been reduced from Rs.40,000 to Rs.26,000 after students had told the authorities of the financial hardships they are facing due to the Coronavirus second wave.