COVID-19 Impact: Jadavpur University to upload degree online, convocation ceremony scrapped

With the resumption of offline classes, students were expecting that the varsity will hold the convocation ceremony on December 24. But as Covid cases are still being reported and a new variant of the coronavirus has emerged, the university has decided against holding the convocation to avoid large gatherings.

Owing to the rise in omicron cases across the country, Jadavpur University has decided to cancel the convocation and upload the degree certificates online. Jadavpur University’s executive council has announced that the convocation will not be held. The convocation was scrapped last year, too, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the resumption of offline classes, students were expecting that the varsity will hold the convocation ceremony on December 24. But as Covid cases are still being reported and a new variant of the coronavirus has emerged, the university has decided against holding the convocation to avoid large gatherings, JU pro-vice-chancellor Samantak Das said.

“Students can now download the degree certificates from the Jadavpur University management system (JUMS) from December 24,” he added.

The University will also be asking the degree recipients to collect their certificates from the respective departments. Each department will have specific dates for the distribution of the certificates. Those who will fail to collect their certificates will have them despatched to their mailing addresses within India.

The convocation is usually held at the open-air theatre. Classes are being held in a blended mode — a combination of offline and online classes — to maintain the physical distancing norm.

More than 4,500 students (undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil and PhD) graduate each year. JU had last held its convocation on campus in 2019.

“It will be difficult to maintain the physical distancing norm and other safety protocol if such a huge number of students are invited to attend the convocation. So we have decided to do away with the ceremony this year. Any large-scale assembly on the campus has to be avoided,” said a JU official.

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