Co-education in Bangalore no more?

Bangalore: If the Bangalore University Syndicate goes ahead with its latest proposal, the concept of co-education may soon become a thing of the past.

The syndicate doesn't want boys and girls in co-educational colleges to sit next to each other any more.

The university syndicate has unanimously passed a resolution which, if implemented, will segregate the students and girls and boys will be made to sit separately.

"It was prompted by one incident in the English department, where a girl was assaulted. It is one of the measures proposed, but not the only one," says B G Sudha, acting Vice-chancellor of Bangalore University.

But even if the university authorities are successful in policing the classrooms, it may have a task in hand to stop students from interacting outside their classrooms.

The Bangalore University has seen quite a bit of students' unrest over the past two months. Some of it, sources say, is perhaps politically motivated.

But by even suggesting that seating boys and girls separately will be a solution to any problem, the country's largest University is treading a moral high ground as never before.

And students are clearly not amused by the university authorities' moral policing proposal. "I think it's nonsense. There is no meaning in this. Nothing happens if boys and girls sit together," says Preeti K V, a university student.

"It's not a solution. If people sit in class separately, it doesn't makes any difference. Anyway, people are going to meet outside their classes," reasons Padmanabh.

"If there is co-education, we can learn from each other," says Shabbir Rafiz, another student.

"When you come to the Univeristy level, we are no more kids. We are mature," argues Ramya Ajay.

The students' reaction to the proposal has already put the university authorities on the backfoot.

"It's not a final decision. We'll be rethinking on this," says Sudha.