Bhubaneswar, April 19 -- The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notice asking universities and colleges to ensure strict compliance to the academic calendar.

According to UGC, academic calendar promotes quality teaching-learning and research apart from providing a complete visibility of the planned events throughout the year for all the stakeholders, including students.

The UGC (Minimum Standards of Instruction for the Grant of the First Degree through Formal Education) Regulations, 2003 clearly states that every university shall ensure that the classes for courses in subjects other than professional courses for the first year students shall commence by not later than the first week of August.

Similarly, the timeline for t...