Flood, Navratri disturb schedule

SURAT, Oct 8: Flood, Navratri and the forthcoming Diwali vacation have all combined to play havoc with the academic schedule in colleges ...

SURAT, Oct 8: Flood, Navratri and the forthcoming Diwali vacation have all combined to play havoc with the academic schedule in colleges affiliated to South Gujarat University, which awaits replacement of Ashwin Kapadia, who resigned as vice-chancellor in August.

All these followed a prolonged strike by teachers who were agitating for more wages. Barely had tempo picked up in colleges when the calamity struck. For students there is a plethora of holidays for they have been away from colleges for most part of the academic year so far.

Now that Diwali is round the bend, their attendance has picked up unlike earlier days when the annual Diwali vacation would begin much early for many, especially outsiders. Having been away from colleges for an unusually long period, students are trying to make the most of the situation before colleges again close for Diwali vacation.

All this also means that they will have to appear in lesser number of unit tests; always a contentious issue which invariably leads to closure of many a college. The Syndicate has resolved that there will be only one test before the final examination. Even the solitary unit test will be taken in the second term, says professor Girish Rana, who moved the proposal.

There was no formal directive on closure of colleges by the university which has affiliated colleges in Narmada, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad and Dangs districts besides Surat. Incidentally, Surat Municipal Corporation and the district education officer had issued directives to schools on when to conduct examination and when to open.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Regional Engineering College, however, rescheduled its examination and extended the Diwali vacation due to flood. The worst-hit was Akhandanand College, located in the badly affected Ved Road area. Not only the furniture but even the library suffered heavily as the area was under several feet of water. Another affected college was the Commerce College in Amroli. Classes are yet to start in both these colleges.

All this point to one thing; the academic schedule, which went haywire with delayed announcement of results of annual examination conducted early this year due to strike by teachers demanding more reassessment remuneration, will be disturbed further.

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But students, a majority of whom oppose unit tests and ensure that colleges remain closed over the issue, will be a happy lot with the Syndicate resolution on only one test. There are many a teacher also who are equally opposed to the concept of unit tests, which they say, makes them work extra for little or no remuneration.