Interminably long ‘study hours’ coupled with an overwhelming syllabus join hands to overburden students at junior colleges, where classes can go on for 12 hours a day.
"College starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m., lasting for 10 hours. Till afternoon, students sit for regular classes and from afternoon, we have to sit for ‘study hours’," says Nasser Ali, a student of a reputed junior college in the city.
That is not all. Another student from the same college puts in even more hours. "If you are a ‘dull’ student, you will have to take extra classes, which can last up to 8 p.m. It is the same routine every day," he says.
By the end of the day, the students can do little else but head straight for home and hit the bed, only to wake up the next morning for another gruelling schedule.
Even lecturers are sympathetic to the students’ plight.
"College managements are desperate to advertise their list of top rankers and pass percentages every year so that they can lure more parents into enrolling their children here. The fierce rivalry between college managements takes a toll on students, who are pushed beyond their capacity to perform well. Tough schedules are drawn up and we have to abide by those," says a junior college lecturer, requesting anonymity.
Dr. Jayanti Sundar Rajan, a psychologist and parenting expert, said that stress comes from various sources. "This not only impairs learning but also performance, leading to psychiatric disorders," Dr. Rajan says.