Teachers of Ramdayalu Singh College have an extra assignment these days — ride a chariot after duty hours and appeal to guardians to send their wards to attend classes.

The principal of the college, Surendra Kumar Sinha, has taken the initiative to inform the guardians by launching a “jagrupta rath” (awakening campaign chariot) around a 20km radius of the institute.

The teachers, after taking classes, travel everyday using the rath, designed to raise awareness among parents and guardians.

Riding the chariot, the tutors also inform the guardians about the criteria of 75 per cent attendance. “Teachers of the colleges are on a whirlwind tour of the areas from November 25,” said Arun Kumar Singh, a political science teacher of the institute.

The teachers ride the chariot into populated areas of the township and appeal with folded hands to guardians, added Arun.

The chariot will tour 20 more villages falling under Mushahri and Kudhani blocks in a couple of days to raise awareness among parents and guardians to send their wards to colleges.

Helping the teacher’s cause is the examination department of the university, which has acted tough and directed colleges not to allow students with below-75 per cent attendance to sit for the final exam.

The college administration is left with no option but to persuade guardians to send the students to college.

“The move of the college to embark upon a rath yatra for this purpose is very encouraging,” said Vikas Narayan Upadhayaya, a teacher.

Guardians, too, have expressed gratitude for the initiative. Ram Kumar Sinha, a resident of Sadpura, said he has asked his son (a student of commerce stream) to attend classes regularly.

Principal Sinha said: “It is bad that the attendance of students is falling. The rath campaign would help create awareness among guardians and to exert pressure on the students to attend classes. The next round of campaign would be started during the next academic session. The college administration is also mulling over suggestions like issuing letters and organising guardian-teacher meeting at the colleges to ensure cent per cent attendance.”

Of late, the students have stopped attending classes at Ramdayalu Singh College.