Pic: A file picture of students taking oath for Bharat Seva DalHubballi: The govt directive to establish Bharat Seva Dal (BSD) units in all PU colleges has seen a lukewarm response in Dharwad district. Out of 150 colleges, only 55 set up BSD units as of Aug 28. Others cite confusion due to existing NCC, NSS, and scouts & guides programmes, while science colleges report minimal student interest. Officials have issued reminders for compliance.Goudar, director of Adarsh PU Science College, Hubballi, said that he has been teaching for four decades and has never heard about BSD in PU colleges. “Govt claims it has been there for years. Now the PU board issued a circular to set up a unit BSD and to name it after some great souls. However, the department has not sensitised either students or lecturers in this regard. Only they told us to register by paying Rs 400. They should explain the intention of BSD and should sensitise students on the use of joining BSD,” he added.Dr Sandeep Budihal, president of Karnataka State Secondary Teachers’ Association, said that it’s difficult to get students for BSD. “Many colleges have NCC, NSS, Bharat scouts and guides units, and students have already joined them as per their priority. In our college, 100 students joined NCC and 120 joined NSS. How can we bring more students to BSD?” Budihal, who is also a principal for KSS PU College in Hubballi, questioned.Khushi, Manasa, and Sanjana, PU students of a private PU Science College in Dharwad, said that their lecturers are suggesting that to join, but they are clueless about whether there is any quota for BSD students in higher education, like there is for NCC students. “We are occupied with NEET, JEE coaching, special classes, weekly tests, and don’t know what else we should do after joining BSD,” they shared.Tejaswini Narayanakar, deputy director of school education, pre-university, said in her circular that only 55 colleges participated in the workshop organised on July 30. “All other colleges are instructed to enrol for the BSD by paying Rs 400,” she added. Tejaswini told TOI, “Out of 175 colleges in the district, 100 have science stream. Students are being made to give more attention towards studies. However, 63 colleges have been registered. We will make it compulsory to all colleges to get registered for BSD.”
