Photo for representation
Pune: Maharashtra ’s private university heads have approached the higher and technical education department over concerns affecting university functioning, bringing renewed focus on falling classroom participation, enforcement of the 75% attendance requirement and the growing preference among some students for coaching classes over campus learning. Their concern is just the degree, while attendance can be as low as 20%,” said Rahul Karad, executive president, MIT World Peace University, describing a trend that, if supported by institutional data, could point to a widening disconnect between enrolment and meaningful participation in education. Universities must also make classroom learning more engaging, interactive, practical and industry-relevant so that students feel motivated to participate actively.
Professors said attendance cannot be improved through rules alone and requires engaging teaching and consistent enforcement. Vishwakarma University vice-chancellor Mukund Kulkarni said, “Classroom engagement plays a vital role in shaping students’ knowledge, skills, confidence and overall personality. Varun Sathe, a student, said, “Attendance becomes difficult when assignments, projects, internships and examination preparation overlap.
University representatives have stated that treating degrees as the primary objective weakens academic engagement and practical skills, while students cite competing commitments, teaching methods and the perceived usefulness of classroom sessions as reasons for missing lectures. Some parents question whether classroom teaching offers sufficient value when students rely on private coaching for exam preparation. “Universities have become fun places for a few parents and students. He added, “Regular classroom participation is intended to expose students to discussions, practical exercises, peer learning and faculty guidance, experiences that cannot always be replicated through notes or last-minute examination preparation. We encourage students to view education not merely as a means of earning a degree, but as an opportunity to learn, explore, innovate and prepare for their future careers. Kulkarni added, “At Vishwakarma University, we believe in ‘Learning by Doing’ and strive to create meaningful learning experiences that inspire students to attend classes out of interest rather than obligation. Our collective goal should be to nurture skilled, confident and future-ready graduates. ” The National Education Policy and subsequent higher education initiatives have emphasised practical learning, internships and stronger links between academia and industry. But the problem is not always that students do not want to learn. Universities also need to make timetables manageable and classroom sessions more interactive. ”