Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has asked colleges affiliated with it to increase working hours for first-year engineering students. The 2021-2022 academic session for the first-year students is yet to begin, which is scheduled to commence on December 13, over three months after it was supposed to. According to a report by The Hindu, VTU's Vice-Chancellor Karisiddappa has instructed affiliated colleges to even cutting down a week from the alloted semester holidays. The VC has also asked that Saturdays be made a full working day for all first-year students.
But why has been there been a delay in the first place? The delay in beginning the academic session is being attributed to the delay in the counselling process. The counselling process, which is conducted by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), is currently being conducted after it was deferred for months owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the increased working hours is only for the first-year students. Classes for the second, third and fourth year enginnering students have already begun. But even increased working hours may not suffice, said the VC. He stated that if the syllabus is not completed, it will be adjusted in the upcoming semesters. "We cannot reduce the syllabus for professional courses," The Hindu quoted him as saying.
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While working hours will be increased to 10 from the earlier eight, only five hours will be devoted to theory classes. The remaining hours will be devoted to practical classes, the VC said. First-year students in 212 colleges in Karnataka will be affected by this decision.
