Students of various courses, especially undergraduate and above, have been demanding that the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) withdraw its order asking them to pay an additional ₹200 per month as fee for bus travel, before the next annual student bus pass is issued.
Given that the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) extended the validity of the old passes till August 31, without any extra fee, students are demanding a similar move by the KSRTC and the other road transport corporations.
Every year there is always an overlap of the academic calendar for various courses and the validity of the annual student bus passes is usually extended. For instance, while the academic year of 2022-23 has already begun for schools and pre-university, the 2021-22 academic year is yet to conclude for undergraduate and higher classes. . BMTC has not only extended the validity of the old bus pass, but is also providing free bus services to new students who have joined I PU and other classes if they showed their ID cards or fee receipts.
Aravind, an engineering student from Ramanagaram told the The Hindu, “I used to use KSRTC buses regularly for college in Bengaluru. Due to disruptions by the pandemic last year, classes started late and the semester will conclude only by the end of August. Instead of extending our bus pass validity, KSRTC is asking for an additional fee. Travel expenses are already high and this will only add to it. If BMTC has extended the validity of bus pass for two months without any additional fee, why can’t KSRTC do the same,” he questioned.
Ajay Kamath, State secretary, All India Democratic Students Organisation, said everyday lakhs of students travel by KSRTC buses to nearby cities to attend colleges and the order by KSRTC was imposing additional burden on them, when their families are already reeling under inflation and the pandemic-induced economic crises. “We have already petitioned the State Transport Minister on the issue and demand that KSRTC extends the validity of their 2021-22 bus pass by two months, without any additional fee,” he said.
