Teachers will now have to keep aside four hours in a week for remedial classes to help those struggling academically.
Though rules have been in place for a few years now, the Department of Collegiate Education (DCE) had observed that the practice was not being followed in many colleges.
Cracking the whip, on Friday, the department issued a circular making it mandatory for teachers in government and aided-degree college to allot four hours per week for remedial classes.
The circular also states that colleges should clearly display the timings of the tutorials on the notice board.
M.N. Ajay Nagabhushan, commissioner of the department, said that this will also ensure that remedial classes are taken place in a structured and formal manner.
“Having regular remedial classes will help students who are academically weak. It will also help in improving the pass percentage,” said the official.
Students Federation of India State secretary Gururaj Desai welcomed the move believing that this will replace the expensive private tutions. H. Prakash, president, Karnataka Government College Teachers’ Association, acknowledged that the remedial classes were not happening regularly in many colleges.
“While it is popular in rural areas, there was no demand from students themselves in urban areas,” he said.
The circular clarifies that the lecturers must work for 40 hours a week, including 20 hours of teaching for faculty (those with subjects that include practicals) and 16 hours for teachers (those without practical classes).
