Many faculty members and non-teaching staff working in colleges under the Department of Technical Education (DTE) had to give up their Sunday holiday to participate in a “Inner engineering with Sadhguru” programme.
A circular, issued by the DTE director, directed the faculty and non-teaching staff of city-based government, aided and private engineering colleges and polytechnics to participate in the event. The programme that is endorsed by the department is a paid course. It costs ₹3,500, ₹6,500, and ₹11,000 and involves interactive sessions and simple yoga practices to increase their ability to handle stressful and crisis situations.
The principal of a polytechnic college in the city said the staff did not attend as it was a paid event. “But, how can they direct us to attend these programmes,” he asked.
The department sources said the circular was issued after the State government forwarded details of this programme.
They said that they were not sure of how many of their staff members attended it and said the details will be collated.
“It is a paid course and most faculty members may not be interested in it. But, it is not mandatory,” said H.U. Talwar, DTE director, adding that they should have been “more careful” while “wording” the circular.