Escaping Education | Parks, platforms new hideouts for students bunking classes

Srinagar, May 26:  The parks and railway stations across Kashmir have become the new hot spots for the school and college students bunking their classes.

The new disturbing trend has thrown up a major challenge for the concerned authorities as the phenomenon is being increasingly observed among both male and female students, raising concerns among stakeholders about the regulation of the attendance of the students.

Over the years, the students have been seen roaming in parks during school hours at some locations in the Srinagar district.

However, the students have gone a step ahead and travel from one district to another in trains, taking advantage of the affordable fares to bunk classes and spend time with friends far from their educational institutions. Recently, a group of college students from south Kashmir and Baramulla were spotted while roaming around railway stations in north Kashmir.

Draped in uniforms, the students were seen roaming freely during school hours.

“We caught hold of these students and on questioning them, it was revealed that the boy was from south Kashmir district and the girl was from north Kashmir. We informed their parents and set them free,” an official said

He said that it was not the lone incident when the students were seen roaming around railway stations during school and college hours.

“Railway authorities have reported numerous instances of boys and girls wandering around railway stations during school and college hours. It is a clear indication of the growing trend,” the official said.

The academicians suggest that besides teaching staff, the biometric attendance system for students should be implemented to control the menace of class bunking.

“Such measures could help monitor student attendance more effectively and curb the widespread bunking,” said a college professor, wishing not to be named.

He said that the students would face long-term implications of this trend as bunking classes not only affects academic performance but also fosters a lack of discipline and responsibility among the students.

During the previous years, the schools would rusticate the students who would not attend their classes for seven consecutive days.

However, the practice was later done away with as the move would result in a decrease in the enrollment in schools.

“If the students are rusticated from schools, the authorities in the School Education Department raise questions over decreasing enrollment in schools,” said a school head, wishing not to be named. A senior lecturer of a government higher secondary school in one of the south Kashmir districts said that some students do not attend their classes but are regular at private coaching centres.

“We fail to understand it. Why a student takes private coaching seriously but does not attend class in school,” he said.

The academicians have demanded that besides the concerned department, the concerned district administration should set up a special task force and deploy them around these parks and railway stations during school hours to put a check on the growing trend of class bunking.

“If such steps are taken, it will discourage students from bunking their classes,” a college professor said.

Over the years, J&K Police would deploy flying squads and deploy Police personnel at various spots. The squad would not allow students to roam in parks and other spots during school hours.

“But there is no check on it these days. The presence of flying squads would remain a deterrent for students. But now they are regularly bunking classes,” said a school teacher from Srinagar.