The Presidency College has initiated a slew of measures to restore its image, battered by the reported involvement of a few students in anti-social activities in the recent past.
Among the measures include providing counselling to all students and a change in the work timings for a section of pupils.
When questioned on the alleged involvement of the students in anti-social activities, ranging from causing public nuisance and indulging in violence, newly appointed principal, Dr M Mohammed Ibrahim, said that the percentage of bad apples in the entire lot was negligible. “Hardly 10 among the 3,400-odd students of the college were involved in such activities that too due to coercion,” he said, adding that the threats from ‘groups’ with large following from neighbouring colleges was routine.
Taking this into cognizance, the college has decided to defuse the volatile situation of altercations between students of different colleges travelling in the same bus. Following requests from students using the bus, their timings have been postponed by an hour, from the usual 8.25 am.
However, he added that the change was only temporary, and would revert to the usual timings in a day or two. “For the last three days, at 9.30 am, I have seen students alighting at the bus stop and entering the college in a file, in absolute order.”
This apart, counsellors have been appointed to all classes, said Dr Ibrahim, who advised the students to channelise their unbridled energy and enthusiasm levels rightly. “We recognised that the students have little scope for extra-curricular activities, for which we have started conducting such ac tivities periodically. The events include quiz, elocution and rangoli competitions, and are aimed at restoring their confidence levels,” he explained.
Dr Ibrahim, who had worked in the Chemistry department for 10 years and served as its head for one-and-half years, listed setting up of RO-water purifiers in all college departments and improving toilet facilities on the campus as his immediate priorities. “We appeal to NGOs and philanthropists for help in this regard.”