Mansi Choksi, who secured 90.21% in her SSC exams, was confused whether to take admission in Swami Vivekanand College, Chembur, or SIES College, Sion.
Mansi Choksi, who secured 90.21% in her SSC exams, was confused whether to take admission in Swami Vivekanand College, Chembur, or SIES College, Sion.
Finally, she chose SIES College for one reason --- the college was not strict about attendance.
“I spoke to students of both colleges. They said Swami Vivekanand College was strict about attendance whereas SIES College was not,” she said.
Campus, faculty, facilities and a resourceful library are not on a student’s priority list anymore while choosing a college.
Instead, students opt for colleges which are not strict with attendance so that they get more time to prepare for competitive exams.
And, after around 10 years of schooling where attendance was mandatory, students say they want join a college where they can bunk lectures.
“Freedom to attend lectures and to walk out from those which don’t interest me, is what I am looking for in college,” said Siddharth Sharma, who had come to KC College, Churchgate for offline admission.
For many, bunking lectures mean utilising the time to study for competitive exams.
“Students choose colleges which are okay with low attendance so that they can spend more time in coaching classes to prepare for competitive exams like IIT-JEE and CET,” said Pravin Tyagi, managing director of IITian’s Pace Academy, which runs several junior science colleges.
The academy, which has tied up with the BMC to open junior science colleges, has integrated programmes where coaching and regular classes are conducted together.
“It helps students save time because they do not have to attend regular college and can instead focus on IIT-JEE,” he said.
College principals frown on students missing lectures. Principals say that since last year the state education department has tightened attendance norms.
“We have to submit our attendance record for every month along with teachers’ salary sheets. If the record is poor, the department pulls up the college and takes action,” said TA Shiware, principal of KPB Hinduja College.
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