The VTU mobile Ban...

I'd like to consider the ban imposed on students carrying cellphones in engineering colleges in Bangalore.

The Ban prevents students carrying cell phones anywhere on them even if they are switched off...

Now this is a really backward step justified by the VTU on the basis that it reduces indiscipline .A BLANKET ban sound draconian in this time and age. The VTU should have at least allowed us to carry the cellphones in a switched off state.

Now lets be frank here, the blanket ban has significantly increased discipline in my college. No more do I have near unlimited ability to message people in other rooms or cities with ease, no more do out of station students walk into labs loudly enquiring about the health of their uncles, no more do canteen discussions revolve around who's got the best ring tone.

Now for all the good things the cell phone ban has done its done quite a lot of bad ones also. Loads of students including myself travel cross the city in attend college and more often than not the cell phone provides an important communication link to our homes. When Bangalore nearly drowned in last year's downpour the fact that I had an illegal cellphone on me allowed me and my friends to communicate our whereabouts to our families and also helped us to avoid traffic jams!

Also let us remember that engineering students are part of a professional course, this ban would have been justified in schools but we are students who are going to start earning in 4 years time and this ban has made our ability to make our own decisions for ourselves seem irrelevant.

The VTU should rethink this absolute ban and in turn bring about a limited ban regarding the usage of cell phones during class hours.