Students outside Magadh Mahila College in Patna on Monday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Jan. 3: There was chill in the air till midday but it could not dampen the enthusiasm of the college students to attend classes today, the first Monday of the new decade.

They entered their classrooms cheerfully, but not without reasons. Majority of them have to play the catch-up game in terms of attendance as well as syllabus. So, after exchanging pleasantries, they were back to studies.

During the break, most of the students poked fun at each other. Some tried to recreate the historic Durban Test on their respective college campus.

But after the classes were over, students of most of the colleges were found discussing whether their syllabus would be completed by March.

The final examinations, according to the Patna University academic calendar, are scheduled to begin from March 21, a day after the Holi festival.

Yuvraj Kumar, a student of Patna College, said: “While Patna Women’s College and Magadh Mahila College have almost completed the syllabus and have started revisions, Patna College, BN College and Science College are lagging behind.”

A student said the Assembly elections in October-November last year and the strike of Grade IV employees in July and August had hampered classes and 50 per cent of the syllabus remained incomplete till the end of the last year. Thus, most of the students and teachers were in no mood to miss classes.

Also, the students require at least 75 per cent attendance to take the final examinations, added the student.

Thus, most of the postgraduate departments of Patna University as well as constituent colleges like BN College and Patna Science College had large turnout of students today.

Patna College sociology teacher Randhir Kumar Singh said: “The cold wave has not deterred the students from attending the college. They are worried about the syllabus and also their attendance.”

Patna University dean of students’ welfare P.K. Poddar said: “The students require a minimum percentage to take the final exam. So most of them are attending classes now.”

Some of the departments have also arranged for extra classes over the next one-and-a-half-months to complete the syllabus as well as to help the students improve their attendance.

Holi worry

The date of the final exam — March 21 — is a cause of concern for the students, as it is the day following Holi this year.

“This year, Holi is on March 20, and the final exams begin on March 21. Students who prefer to celebrate the festival at their home in the districts will find it very difficult to return to Patna on the day of the exam,” said a student.