Bengaluru City University.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: Principals and faculty members of colleges affiliated with Bengaluru City University (BCU) are upset over a recent circular mandating Environmental Studies for undergraduate commerce programmes in both the first and second semesters.
The circular, issued by BCU, cites the revised course framework for undergraduate courses as per the State Education Policy (SEP).
However, principals are frustrated that the university issued this directive nearly one-and-a-half months after the academic year began.
"We are midway through the semester, preparing students for exams scheduled for December. What was the university doing all this time?" questioned a principal of a private degree college in Bengaluru Central.
Nagaraja C, General Secretary of the BCU Commerce Teachers Forum, criticised the timing of the circular, saying it not only causes confusion, but also burdens students. "Such last-minute decisions will force students to attend 30 hours of classes per week, leading to an overwhelming workload," he said.
Nagaraja also highlighted the challenges colleges face in hiring teachers to cover the subject midway through the semester.
"We are not against teaching Environmental Science. Our concern is the deviation from the previous schedule, where Constitutional Values and Environmental Studies were taught in alternate semesters. Even now, universities across the state follow this model. Only BCU has made Environmental Studies mandatory for both semesters, which is unnecessary. Colleges are now struggling to find teachers," he explained.