JOIN USShorter college breaks this year
The University Grants Commission issued a circular last week, instructing colleges to start their academic sessions latest by November.
The circular mandates a six-day week and a slashing of summer and winter breaks to just a week.
Many colleges in Bengaluru have already begun online classes for first-year undergraduate students.
“I don’t think colleges located in cities have had a problem, but that is obviously not representative of the country,” says Padmakumar MM, assistant professor, Christ (Deemed to be University).
The institution began classes in late July and hopes to complete the first semester by December.
“As directed by the UGC, we will give students a week’s break at the end of the semester,” says Fr Abraham Vettiyankal Mani, vice chancellor, Christ.
Students shouldn’t mind a shorter winter break since they have stayed home for a major part of the year, he suggests.
“This is also the only way to fix this disrupted cycle. We hope it will go back to normal in two or three years,” he says.
Danica (name changed), who begins an MA in psychology at Mount Carmel College on October 3, says the pandemic cannot be counted as a break.
“We were all grappling with it, and it has been a stressful time. And to be thrown into a college year with no breaks could cause considerable stress,” she says.
Saswata Acharya has been working for three years in a corporate structure and is planning to get back to studying. “But students like me, who have just completed school, may not be able to cope with the study material without burning out,” she says.
Another issue is that of internships. Students take up internships during their breaks and these are often college-mandated. Muskan Gurnani, starting her undergraduate course this year, hopes colleges reduce the academic burden for the internship period.
The internship situation is also a concern for Danica. “Graduating with a master’s is of no use in my field if I don’t have any experience,” she says.
The UGC has also asked colleges to refund fees to students who wish to opt out of their courses. Many students are sceptical about this option.
“If I dropped out this year, I’d just be wasting my time as jobs are scarce. I don’t think I’d really get a full refund and I can’t risk financial losses mid-pandemic,” concludes Saswata.