Covid-19 induced pandemic took a serious toll on education, making learning through regular classes difficult, and leading to college dropouts. Bengaluru institutes are reportedly planning to offer bridge courses to students to make up for the gap in the last two years. The Karnataka Secondary School leaving Certificate examination results were announced last week and the first Pre-University classes are all set to commence on June 9.
Moreover, applicants are mostly seeking admissions to science courses, the Indian Express reported. In the last few years, demand for commerce stream was the highest in the state.
BR Chandrashekharappa, the principal of Surana College informed that the college received 300 inquiries for science and more than 200 for commerce since the application process started. With more students securing 100 per cent in the SSLC exams, the cut-off for science is 80 per cent and above, and for commerce, it is 70% and above.
The college principal further informed that special attention will be given to writing skills and communication skills. As the pandemic forces education to go virtual, students now lack requisite writing and interpersonal communication skills, she said. The first few months will be invested to bring back students from the virtual mode to the real world. About the college uniform she said hijab will be not allowed and all students have to adhere to the college uniform.
A Padmannabha principal of Vijaya Bifurcated PU College mentioned providing additional coaching on Tally, Excel and English language to students this year with the regular course they are enrolled to. Moreover, those with a score 90 per cent and above will get a discount of Rs 16, 00 on the course fee. There is a discount of Rs 9,600 for those who scored between 80 per cent and 90 per cent in their SSLC exam.
While some colleges have raised the cut-off rate, some have maintained the standard cut-off rate. The principal of National PU College, CR Sampathkumari, informed cut offs remain 60 per cent and they encourage students to participate more in activities like theatre and music, among others. Since the college doesn’t have any prescribed uniform, students can wear hijab if they want to, he said.
Witnessing a surge in demand for admissions in its government Pre-University colleges, another media report says the government has decided to conduct classes in two shifts. This arrangement will, however, be limited to colleges where there is a high number of admissions.
There are 1,203 government PU colleges in the state and 3,300 private unaided and 697 private aided PU colleges.
