Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 12: The state government, which had planned to modify the time tables of degree colleges in the state had to face embarrassment as the move encountered stiff resistance from people from various fields including parents. Taking into consideration the emergence of consensus among teaching staff, students and parents that it would be difficult for students to attend classes earlier than 10 am, the government has since withdrawn the circular that had changed the opening time of degree colleges to 8 am.

The state department of higher education said that colleges will run according to the time table they are already following, and that the department would come out with a fresh circular in a couple of days.

Minister for higher education, Basavaraj Rayareddy, had issued the circular making it mandatory for all degree colleges to begin functioning at 8 am. Several officials and office bearers of degree college teachers association had met the minister to urge him to allow continuance of earlier timing. As a large number of students too expressed reservation about the modified timing, the minister directed the officials to withdraw the earlier circular.

Academic year for 411 government degree colleges in the state began on July 10. Many students arrived at 8 am because of the government circular but colleges opened at 10 am as usual. In view of lukewarm response to his initiative to advance opening time of colleges, the minister relented and asked officials to take back the earlier circular, it is gathered.

Attending classes at 8 am becomes difficult for students and teaching staff particularly in cities where distance between residences and colleges is considerable. Many students study at night and get up late in the morning. Families that have adapted to modern ways of living go to bed late and hence preparing students early in the morning becomes problematic. Therefore there had been widespread reluctance to the timing fixed by the department.