Colleges, universities reopen with thin attendance

The colleges and universities in and around Mysuru opened with thin attendance, after a long Covid-19 vacation, almost nine months on Tuesday.

Joint Director for Collegiate Education R Mugeshappa said, "Only 5% to 10% of the students appeared in colleges in the Mysuru region. The institutions have been reopened by strictly following the Covid-19 guidelines.”

In most of the institutions, no classes were held on the reopening day. Orientation was provided to students on wearing masks, use of sanitisers and maintaining social distance. While only those who brought Covid negative reports were allowed to enter the institutions, Covid tests were also held for others. All staff of the institutions have undergone Covid tests.

The attendance of students in even premier institutions like Maharaja’s College, Yuvaraja’s College, Maharani’s College and in major private institutions was very thin. In Maharani’s Commerce and Management Colleges, there are 936 students in final year BCom and BBM, but only 12 students turned up. As the hostels have not opened, outstation students have stayed away. Parents are also apprehensive about sending their wards to colleges.

Ashwini, a student of Maharani’s Science College, said, "Physical classes are always better than online classes. Thus, I was eager to attend the college."

Principal of Sarada Vilas College M Devika said, "We have 340 students in final year undergraduate courses, but only 12 of them turned up. We hope, the attendance will improve in the coming days.”