Christ University is known for its strict rules, mandatory attendance, and draconian dress code. Christ University, like many other Bangalore colleges, have made research compulsory for the PG students. However, Christ University does not focus on producing individuals who can think critically, rather it is producing students who are trapped in the mandatory 85% attendance rule and have to attend classes from 9:45 am to 4:45 pm. Some departments even have a habit of taking classes at 8:45 am beyond regular college hours.
Under this jam-packed schedule, there is no hour allotted for doing research, lab work, field work or for spending time in the library for doing literature review. Either the college must allot certain hours specifically for doing research or research should not be made mandatory. This 10 to 5 culture leaves students exhausted, with no energy for research. Being overloaded with useless assignments is another problem. Postgraduate students are already struggling to find adequate time for research and laboratory work, yet several policies further restrict their ability to do so. One major concern is the imposed time limit on laboratory access in the evenings. For students whose research requires extended hours, such restrictions are not only impractical but also fundamentally contradict the purpose of a research-oriented postgraduate program.
Compounding this issue is the poor planning of the academic schedule. A syllabus ideally meant to be taught over six months is being squeezed into a span of barely three to four months. This results in an overload of extra classes and leaves students with little to no time for critical thinking, independent study, or even basic mental downtime—elements that are essential for quality research.
The situation is further aggravated by the compulsory 8:45 am classes. Under normal circumstances, the attendance app closes approximately fifteen minutes after the start of the hour. However, this does not apply to the 8:45 slot, where the app remains open for the entire duration of the class. In a city like Bangalore, where traffic delays are inevitable, students commuting from distant areas cannot always reach exactly on time. Many arrive just 10–15 minutes late due to factors beyond their control. Some teachers accommodate this by giving attendance when informed in advance, but many do not—even refusing to wait for the standard fifteen-minute grace period. As a result, students unfairly lose attendance for reasons unrelated to academic commitment or discipline.
The consequences are serious. To be eligible to write the mid-semester examinations, students must maintain a minimum of 75% attendance in each subject. Those who fall short are required to pay a ₹700 fine to sit for a repeat mid-semester exam. Christ provides the students an option to claim attendance for the days or hours missed via the yellow form and blue form. Yellow form provides attendance for hours missed due to co-curricular activities, extra-curricular activities, intra collegiate and inter collegiate fest. Usually students get the claims for attendance within a few days which is filled via the yellow form. The real problem comes with blue form that is meant to provide attendance for hours missed due to medical reasons. Attendance via the blue form can only be claimed when the student has an overall attendance of 75%, students do not face this problem in the yellow form. If a student has fallen ill or is hospitalised for many days resulting in an overall attendance less than 75% before the mid-term, they will not be able to claim the attendance and will end up missing the exam and paying a hefty fine. At least the students filling the attendance via blue form should not be made to face this problem, the 75% overall attendance requirement for claiming attendance via blue form is illogical. Moreover, for the end semester examinations students who fail to meet the overall 85% attendance, are expected to pay a fine of ₹1000 or more in order to get their hall tickets unblocked. Christ University has made this fine collection into a business. This not only imposes an unnecessary financial burden but also penalises students for systemic issues rather than personal negligence.
Overall, these policies collectively undermine the very essence of postgraduate education, which is supposed to prioritise research, academic freedom, and intellectual development. Instead, students are left juggling an overloaded schedule, restrictive rules, and inconsistent administrative practices that hinder rather than support their academic growth. In the absence of an elected student council, none of these issues can be raised to the administration.
In this situation the students demand:
(I) An elected student council that can raise student concerns effectively in front of the management.
(II) An end to the mandatory 85% attendance rule
(III) Remove the mandatory 75% attendance requirement for claiming attendance for medical reasons
(IV) Scrap the regressive dress code
(V) Special hours to be allotted for doing research and using laboratory for both UG and PG students within the regular college hours
