Cricketers serve, while actors bunk

MiD DAY discovers that sportspeople have it easy when it comes to college attendance, but artistes are forced to choose between academics and art

Cricketers serve, while actors bunk

MiD DAY discovers that sportspeople have it easy when it comes to college attendance, but artistes are forced to choose between academics and art

Colleges are kinder to cricketers than cine stars when it comes to attendance and exams.

Manish Pandey, Bangalore's newest cricketing sensation and a final year student of Mahavir Jain College, has been given the go-ahead to write exams despite a miserable 10 per cent attendance.

"He will be given full attendance as he is playing for our college and state," said R Chenraj Jain, chairman, Jain Group of Institutions. "We encourage such sportsmen as they are our national pride."

But movie stars don't have the same luck in keeping with university and board norms.

As a result, sportspersons continue to study while artists are forced to take a break or give up their extra-curricular activities.

Shooting stars

Sandalwood's latest star, Aindritha Ray of Junglee fame, is no exception.

The student from Dr B R Ambedkar Dental College was forced to take a break this year after last year's debut in Junglee threw up new opportunities.

With five films on her hands, including Yograj Bhat's Manasaare, she's had no choice but to take a break since shortage of attendance would have disqualified her from writing the exams.

"Though she gets lessons from her father, attendance is a big hurdle," said Sunitha Ray, Aindritha's mother. "Since she was denied attendance, she has taken a break and will resume classes once she is done with her films."
Amoolya, who acted in Cheluvina Chittara, also faced a similar problem.

"My school administration was very strict about attendance," Amoolya who passed her tenth standard exams from Nirmala Rani School told MiD DAY.u00a0 "I was never given attendance if I was on shoot. I suffered because of this and used to shoot on holidays and during vacation," she said.u00a0

Professor Ashok Kumar, head of electronics department, Bangalore University, says this trend started a few years back when the university syndicate had to decide on a case related to a Ranji player.

"He was given full attendance," Kumar said. "Similarly, sportspersons representing their college at the state and national levels get complete attendance on providing proof of their participation."

However, students don't get the same benefit in the case of activities like acting or singing.

Professor T Thimmappa, former vice-chancellor, Bangalore University, puts it succinctly when he says: "Sports is for the state and art is private."

"As the state's resources are used for sports, students are directly linked to the state. And it is the state's responsibility to look after these students. This is not so in the case of art which is a private issue," he added.