Govt colleges may send SMS alert to parents on absentee students

The Higher Education Department plans to send SMSes to parents if their children studying in government colleges face shortage of attendance.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Saturday, Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande said such a facility had been adopted by private institutions and the practice would introduced in government colleges, too.

In a bid to improve soft skills among students, it had been decided to introduce general knowledge and interview-facing skills among students. Besides, Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc) will be introduced in undergraduate degree colleges in a phased manner, he said.

The department was also mulling over adopting finishing school concept in all universities, colleges to meet the industry requirements and improve employability of young graduates.

A committee has been constituted to study the issue of teaching yoga as a subject, the minister said. All colleges and universities have been directed to organise yoga awareness programmes. Yoga Day will be celebrated in all colleges on June 21, he said. The government has decided in principle to give preference in admission to children of personnel serving in the Army, Navy and Air Force. A final decision on awarding ranking to universities in the State will be taken on June 1, he said.