KOLKATA: From now on, students on Calcutta University campuses will have to pay all their fees, including late fees and even penalties, online as the university, often blamed of being stuck in a time warp, took a technological leap and did away with offline payments.Presidency University and St Xavier’s University also take fees through online system only, while Jadavpur University has both the options of online and physical payments.“Henceforth, all sorts of fees from students across all our campuses will be accepted online only. This means, the students can pay with their debit cards, credit cards or through netbanking . This includes late fees, penalties and exam fees,” said a senior university official. The rule is applicable to all the 14 campuses of the university, but not to affiliated colleges, which are supposed to have their own systems in place.Multiple factors, such as eliminating long queues at cash counters, not allowing students the excuse to miss classes on the pretext of queueing up for fee payments, introducing transparency and saving on the already-depleting manpower, prompted the university to migrate to the online mode, which came into effect this month, the official said. But for the time being, the institution would continue with offline transactions option open for the time being keep taking offline payments for non-fee transactions, he added. Another senior official pointed out that the state’s move to shift the admission procedures and fee payments prompted the university to take this decision. “Admissions to UG and PG courses will be conducted online and so, the admission fees will be accepted online. This move pushed CU to put the right infrastructure in place to collect fees online,” said the official.Calcutta University, founded in 1857, has often drawn flak for not adapting to the changing times and failing to modernise its examination system or introduce innovative and contemporary teaching and learning methods or shift to online payments on its campuses.But an official pointed out that they had to go in for the change as they could no longer handle the volume. “It was becoming difficult to collect fees at the cash counters due to the ever-increasing queues of students and the dwindling manpower. This would often result in arguments between students and the personnel at the counters. With almost 50% shortage in non-teaching staff, it was becoming difficult to collect fees at the counters,” said an accounts department official.A professor pointed out with online fees payment , students would no longer have to miss out on classes for having to queue up at the counters. “Students would sometimes complain they missed classes because of the long queues. With the online shift, the students won’t have to face such trouble,” said the professor who teaches on the Rajabazar Science College campus.

Stay updated with all the Kolkata Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.