Calcutta University has instructed its affiliated colleges to conduct undergraduate classes in an online format between April 22 and May 5 in light of the ongoing elections.

On Tuesday, the university's inspector of colleges, Diptendu Chatterjee, issued a notice to college authorities, directing them to make appropriate arrangements for virtual teaching during this period.

Although voting in Kolkata and nearby districts such as Howrah and Hooghly is not scheduled for April 23, the shift to online classes will begin a day earlier. According to a university representative, many students have already returned to their hometowns in regions like north Bengal and the East and West Midnapore districts to participate in the first phase of polling, making in-person attendance difficult.

Officials also pointed out that the four-year undergraduate curriculum introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) requires timely completion, so continuing classes online will help keep academic schedules on track.

Additionally, many college campuses in Kolkata and surrounding areas are set to function as polling stations for the second phase of elections on April 29. Security personnel are expected to be deployed at these institutions from April 25, which will further limit access to campus facilities. Some colleges are also designated as vote-counting centres. Taking all these factors into account, authorities decided to continue virtual classes until May 5.

Siuli Sarkar, principal of Lady Brabourne College, confirmed that her institution has already implemented the necessary measures to continue teaching online during this period.

Due to the early occupation of campuses by security forces, the university has also postponed third-semester undergraduate theory examinations, which were initially scheduled from April 14 to April 27. These exams are now expected to take place after May 5.