`It's good to ban cellphones in colleges'

HUBLI: Banning the use of cellphones on college premises has been a headache for institutes in the region. Many colleges in the twin cities are still in a dilemma over the issue, while some others have strictly banned the cellphones.
When `The Times of India' asked the II PU students of SJMVS Commerce and Arts College for Women to air their views on the issue, most of them said the ban will help students "concentrate on academics".In fact, they are also for punishing those who dare the ban.
Shweta N Gowda said the use of cellphones on college premises will only disturb the students who may not concentrate on studies. "All colleges should ban cellphones. The students should not to bring cellphones to college," she added.
Tabassum Shaikbade said cellphones disturb the user and fellow students equally. "Teachers should strictly restrict the students from using the cellphones in classrooms, and colleges should act against those who fail to fall in line," she said, adding that students often keep their phones in silent mode, but keep playing games or chatting online or via SMSs.
Endorsing her views, Shweta R Kothari pointed that even colleges won't be able to physically check students' bags every day. "Students are particular about owning swanky and high-end handsets and entertain themselves with music, video, and games. This naturally affects their studies," she added.
Leelavati M Kambali laid the onus on parents to restrict children from carrying cellphones to college. "They should not encourage their children to own a handset in the first place. College is a place for learning, and not for entertainment. For communication, the students can make use of the phones kept for the purpose. They can always use it in cases of emergency," she added.
According to Sonal S Rajpurohit, cellphones should not be carried to classrooms. "Students should hand over their handsets to the college authorities before attending classes. They can collect it once the classes are over. Keeping the cellphone in silent mode won't help, as students tend to be curious on `missed calls' calls and unread SMSs. So it's best to ban them," she said.
What's on Campus?
NCC cadets (boys and girls) of 28 Kar Bn NCC observed International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Hubli on Sunday. The cadets organized a rally sporting banners showing the ill-effects of drugs.