Students forced to travel long distances to attend classes

First-year college students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, notably these from rural areas, are discovering it tough to attend classes on campus as hostels run by the Minorities Department and the Backward Classes Welfare Department (BCWD) have but to name for functions.

Ever since bodily classes for intermediate semesters started on January 16, many college students have been spending over two hours travelling to their faculties as they don’t have different lodging close by. “With all this travelling to and from the campus, we are missing the first lectures,” stated a scholar. Others are persevering with with on-line classes till functions for hostels open.

A primary-year scholar enrolled within the postgraduate centre at Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Ballari, identified that he had to travel 140 km daily from his village in Kushtagi taluk to the PG centre. “I have to leave home as early as 6 a.m. to get to the college on time. It is risky travelling such long distances during the pandemic. I do not want to put my health at risk. At the same time, I want to attend classes. How can colleges and varsities reopen without hostels opening up for first-year students?” he requested.

Another scholar, who desires to apply to a BCM hostel and research on the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha’s Law College, Koppal, stated that the pandemic had acted as an obstacle to those that need to pursue increased training. “Many students will be forced to drop out if hostel facility is not provided at the earliest,” he stated.

Amaresh Kadaga, State president, Students’ Federation of India, stated that this was a hardship confronted by college students throughout the State. The federation has raised the difficulty with the authorities, urging them to admit first-year college students into hostels instantly. “If the departments do not act quickly, we will carry out a State-wide agitation,” he stated.

A senior official of the Higher Education Department stated that whereas hostels run by the Social Welfare Department had been admitting college students, these run by minorities and BCWD had been but to open admissions to their hostels. “We will pursue the matter with the departments and ensure that students are admitted at the earliest,” the official stated.