Calcutta University will soon meet the principals of affiliated colleges and ask them to take steps to ensure timely publication of undergraduate results.

The university had set colleges a deadline for submission of marks for the undergraduate part-II examination last Friday, the second such meeting.

The choice-based credit system (CBCS) was introduced in the university’s BCom course last year and the results of the first semester exams were declared almost two weeks behind schedule.

The university rolled out CBCS in the humanities and science streams this year and does not want to repeat earlier mistakes. “What happened in BCom should not recur. So there is a need to speak to the principals to streamline the process,” an official said.

Tight vigil on the collection of evaluated answer scripts from examiners would ensure timely handover to head examiners for scrutiny, the official said.

“The results get delayed because of lack of vigil in the process. At times, the university also fails to distribute answer scripts to the examiners as in the Part-II (general) examinations. The principals should draw the university’s attention in case of any laxity in the distribution of scripts,” the official added.

In the conventional system of holding exams once a year, the target is to publish the results 60-90 days after the test. In the semester system, where exams are held twice a year, the target is 45-60 days from the date of completion of the test.

If the results are not published on time, the classes for the next semester cannot be started.

Asked whether the university would interact with the principals on time-bound publication of results under the choice-based system, vice-chancellor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee said: “I hope the controller of examinations department will speak to them on the issue. There should not be any delay in the publication of results”.

College principals were last week handed over a note with time-bound guidelines on collection of evaluated answer scripts.

The university had announced in early October that it would start the process of conducting semester examinations for its BA and BSc courses as soon as colleges reopen after the Puja vacation and complete evaluation of answer scripts in January so that results can be declared in mid-February.

The schedule was shared with college principals, who were asked to strictly adhere to the deadline.