By Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network—Bantwal (RD/CN)
 
Bantwal, Jul 17: The state education department has issued a circular to all schools across the state to organize ‘Suryotsav’ in every primary and high school on the day of the solar eclipse which is Wednesday July 22. This is being dubbed a rare event of the 21st century. 
 
The public instructions department commissioner had issued a circular to this effect on June 1 that ‘Suryotsav’ should be organized by the school science clubs from 6.00 am to 8.00 am on Wednesday. 

The commissioner has instructed the school authorities to make arrangements for safe viewing of the eclipse through computer monitors and TV, as also conducting a question and answer session, to organize talks on planetary movements, and competitions on related topics, in every school.
 
Although the circulars were dispatched on time, many schools in the taluk have not received the same so far while opposition to the programme has been expressed in some other schools. 

The response of rural schools in organizing ‘Suryotsav’ is yet to be received.  The department had issued the circulars to help promote scientific awareness.  Meanwhile, since the ‘Aati Amavasya’ also falls on the same day, there is some confusion over observing the solar eclipse. 

Only a partial solar eclipse will be visible for a few hours in south India while it will be total in north India. This also gives rise to the question whether teachers and students will arrive early in the morning to view the solar eclipse.