‘YOGI GOVT HAS NOT BANNED MOBILES AT UNIVS, COLLEGES’

LUCKNOW/PRAYAGRAJ: The Yogi Adityanath government has not issued any new order banning use of mobile phones by students in university and degree colleges, clarified deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma refuting a news agency report. Sharma on Friday said no order was issued to ban use of mobile phone on campuses. “Yes, the students are expected to keep their phones on silent or switch off mode during classes so that teaching is not disturbed,” he said.

LUCKNOW/PRAYAGRAJ : The Yogi Adityanath government has not issued any new order banning use of mobile phones by students in university and degree colleges, clarified deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma refuting a news agency report.

Sharma on Friday said no order was issued to ban use of mobile phone on campuses. “Yes, the students are expected to keep their phones on silent or switch off mode during classes so that teaching is not disturbed,” he said. The news agency in its report said the Directorate of Higher Education in Uttar Pradesh has issued a circular to this effect. The circular mentions a blanket ban on the use of mobile phones inside universities and colleges, the report says.

Dr Vandana Sharma, director, higher education, UP, said, “No order was issued by her office till date over banning cellphones in universities and degree colleges. There has been no such decision and we never said anything on the subject.” What may have triggered some confusion was an order issued by registrar of Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University in Kanpur, Dr Vinod Kumar Singh who in a directive dated October 17 asked all HoDs and principals of affiliated colleges to ensure that students do not use cellphones when academic work is in process (inside classroom). “The order is only confined to Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University and its affiliated colleges. The order will have no bearing on students of other university or degree colleges,” Singh said. “Use of mobile phone is strictly prohibited in classes. The students are expected to not speak over phone or engage themselves in Whatsapp or social media during class. Those flouting the order will be treated as act of indiscipline and may face action. It is essential to maintain the sanctity of classroom,” reads order issued by Dr Vinod Kumar Singh. “Degree colleges of 11 districts are affiliated to Chhatrapati Sahuji Maharaj University in Kanpur. The order will be implied on 8.5 lakh students who come under the ambit of the university,” Singh said.

At Prayagraj, in another development move aimed at sending the message of zero tolerance to use of unfair means during exams, the state government has decided not to allow even magistrates supervising exams to carry smart phones inside exam centres this time, inform officials.

The application for the UPTET-2019 will get under way from November 1 and end on November 20. The exam is scheduled to be held at centres spread across the state on December 22.

Officials claim that ban on smart phones inside exam centres of UPTET-2019 has been introduced specially to nullify any attempt at any level to sabotage the efforts of conducting free and fair exams.