With lecturers on SIR duties, Bengaluru colleges struggle to complete syllabus as semester nears end

Bengaluru: Government colleges in Bengaluru are facing difficulties in conducting classes and completing the ongoing semesters as a large number of teaching staff have been assigned duties related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The current semester for colleges affiliated with Bengaluru North University (BNU) is scheduled to end on November 7, while colleges under Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University are scheduled to complete the semester by October 23.

The principal of a government degree college under BNU said that despite repeatedly bringing the issue to the attention of officials, the difficulties being faced by students had not been addressed. According to the principal, more than half of the college staff had been assigned SIR duty and had not yet returned to teaching, affecting the academic session that began on July 20, Deccan Herald reported.

The principal of another government college with more than 3,000 students said attendance had been affected as students were skipping classes because teachers were unavailable. The college has been managing some subjects, including Commerce, Science and English, with guest lecturers, but the principal said experienced teachers were still needed.

At another college, the sports trainer and librarians have also been assigned SIR duty, according to its principal. The administration is struggling to respond to students' concerns regarding the absence of teaching staff.

“When we approached the officials to know when the teachers will be relieved from the SIR work, they asked us to close the college. This is the concern towards students and academics,” another principal was quoted as saying by Deccan Herald.

Karnataka Government College Teachers Association president T.M. Manjunath urged the government to make alternative arrangements so that lecturers could be relieved from SIR duties.

“Completing a semester without conducting any classes is a grave injustice to students. In some districts, the entire staff of colleges have been deputed for SIR work. This will affect quality of education and students will not enrol at government colleges,” he said.

The faculties of government degree colleges across Karnataka have been assigned duties as Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) as part of the SIR exercise.