Karnataka government permits engineering colleges in Bengaluru to hold offline classes

The Karnataka government on Friday ordered changes to its January 4 Covid-19 restrictions order

The private universities offering engineering courses are in a fix with the government revising its January 4 order on offline classes.

The government, on Friday, altered January 4 Covid restriction orders to permit engineering colleges in Bengaluru Urban district to hold offline classes. The revised order dated January 6, issued by chief secretary P Ravikumar, allows all institutions and colleges affiliated to the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) to hold offline classes by strictly adhering to Covid-safety protocols.

With the revised order, engineering colleges will continue offline classes. The colleges were closed on Thursday as there was no clarity from the government. However, the revised order created confusion as it extended exemption only to colleges affiliated with the VTU. Private universities offering engineering courses and the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, which is not affiliated to VTU, demanded clarity.

“There is no clarity on private universities and constituent colleges of other universities which are offering engineering courses. We request the higher education department to provide clarity,” said the vice-chancellor of one of the private universities.

Meanwhile, the earlier order suspending offline classes has resulted in several engineering asking their students to vacate college hostels to vacate. Many students have shifted to their hometowns.

“Normally, those who stay in college hostels are from outside Bengaluru and they have vacated the hostels. Now, we have to call them back,” said the principal of a private engineering college.

Students from outside Karnataka have booked train and flight tickets as offline classes were suspended for two weeks. Now, cancelling the tickets will cost them, dear, some private college principals said.

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