Bengaluru, Sept 29: Following the death of PU student in a temple pond at Ramagondlu on the outskirts of the city during a college trip, the Department of Pre-University Education has decided to issue a new set of norms that colleges need to comply with before signing up for field trips.
Some of the norms, which will be part of the revised guidelines, stipulate a pupil-teacher ratio of 1:15 on these trips and the presence of a female lecturer if there are girls in the group. Teachers will also have to submit a list of safety measures taken along with a detailed itinerary of the trip to their college management.
According to officials, colleges have been asked to keep tabs on weather reports during the days of the trip and liaison with authorities concerned if they are going to locations with waterbodies.
C. Shikha, Director of the DPUE, said the department would soon issue a set of revised guidelines to colleges. “We had issued guidelines earlier too and had stated that government colleges should seek permission from their Deputy Director of Pre-University. Managements of private colleges should give the approval for trips. But we will issue a comprehensive guidelines shortly,” she said.
She said the management of the National College, Jayanagar, — where Vishwas was one of the 21 National Cadet Corps students who had gone on the trip — had no information about the trip. The NCC coordinator who took them on the trip was allegedly not at the location when Vishwas drowned. “When we issued a show-cause notice to the management, they replied stating that they were not aware of the trip. We want to issue guidelines to make college managements more accountable during such trips,” she said.
Ms. Shikha said there was a need for colleges to take an undertaking from the parents of students who would be part of these trips.
Nine Gowda A.H., general secretary of the Karnataka State PU Lecturers’ Association, welcomed the move.
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