Principals of Mumbai’s schools and colleges are cool with winking
Principals of Mumbai schools and colleges are unperturbed by the ‘viral eye wink’ of Priya Prakash Varrier, who shot to fame with her famous wink that saw her gain international popularity in a matter of few days.
A notice had been sent in VLB Janakiammal College of Arts and Science in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The circular urges the students to refrain from ‘viral eye winking’. “We have installed CCTV cameras to monitor such activities. If found guilty, such perpetrators will be debarred for one year from the college,” reads the circular.
Mumbai principals are not worried about the implications it would have in their campuses. They feel there is no need to monitor student movements by installing closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the premises.
“Why should there be any CCTV cameras monitoring student movements? A good teacher is enough to handle students and their feelings. And a school is not there just for academics, it should have an environment to make the student a better human being altogether,” said Madhura Phadke, principal of Pawar Public School, Chandivali, adding, “Although we do not promote campus love stories, a student should be able to contain his or her feelings at their level. Such things (attraction towards opposite sex) are a natural process and people should not make fuss about it.”
Tagged as the new ‘expression queen’, Priya awaits her debut with ‘Oru Adaar Love’, a film celebrating the romance among school students.
Father Francis Swamy, Principal, St Mary’s School in Mazgaon, said such things should not even be brought for discussion and students should not be kept on a leash.
“We have been giving unnecessary attention to films. The problem starts when you bring films to your homes. Films should be seen just as a means of entertainment and nothing else. A film cannot determine what the students are or should be doing,” he added.
While some believe there is no harm in students whispering sweet nothings among themselves, some do believe the behaviour should be punished.
“Schools and colleges are meant to study and should stay like it. Although there should not be sever punishment, there has to be some action taken against them to set an example in other students’ minds,” said Rajpal Hande, principal of Mithibai College Vile Parle.
18-year-old Priya Prakash Varrier is pursuing her graduation in commerce (B.Com) in a women’s college in Thrissur, Kerala. While she has done modelling and acted in a short film, ‘Oru Adaar Love’ is her first full-length commercial movie.