In the second phase, elections will be held in South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas and Howrah. As majority of the colleges under the university are located in these districts, a postponement was inevitable.

“It is not the question of finding a centre for the examination, but many students will be voting in the panchayat elections. The university wants them to exercise their franchise,” said Calcutta University controller of examination Onkar Sadhan Adhikari.

He added that no examination had been scheduled for May 14. He said the police personnel required for conducting the examination are also not available during the election period.

The postponement of examinations means that the practical examinations will now be held in the first week of September.

The university authorities, however, clarified that the deferring of the examinations does not mean that there will be a delay in the publication of results.

The date of allotment of scripts to the examiners remains the same.

The rescheduling of exams will affect over 1 lakh students.