Amid West Asia conflict, Karnataka university orders Saturday online classes

2 min readBengaluruUpdated: Jun 16, 2026 05:35 PM IST

In an effort to support national fuel conservation initiatives following the West Asia conflict, engineering colleges affiliated with Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Karnataka will switch to online classes on Saturdays starting this week.

In a circular issued to all its institutions, VTU stated: “By the direction of the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, it is hereby informed that classes for students of Constituent, Affiliated, and Autonomous Engineering Colleges, Schools of Architecture, and University Departments of VTU Belagavi shall be conducted through online mode on all working Saturdays of the month (2nd, 4th, and occasional 5th Saturdays) with immediate effect and until further orders.”

The university noted that the decision was taken to promote the efficient utilisation of natural resources. The directive will apply to all 220 engineering colleges under VTU’s jurisdiction and nearly 3 lakh students across Karnataka.

“We have lakhs of students studying under VTU,” said Professor S Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor of VTU. “Because the first and third Saturdays are already holidays, conducting online classes on the remaining Saturdays means students can completely avoid commuting to campus. This will significantly save fuel and reduce air pollution.”

The decision was finalised after an executive committee meeting approved the shift. The university currently operates under a 60:40 framework, which allows up to 40 per cent of its curriculum to be delivered online.

A VTU official clarified that until further notice, only theory classes will be conducted online on Saturdays, while all practical lab sessions will continue to be held offline on weekdays.

VTU’s weekend scheduling shift reflects a national effort to conserve fuel as India addresses global energy volatility. Ministers and senior officials have drastically reduced their official security convoys and are increasingly using electric vehicles (EVs).

Story continues below this ad

Several ministers have also started carpooling to official Cabinet meetings in New Delhi. The government is also reviving Covid-era protocols, such as virtual meetings and work-from-home schedules, to minimise commuting and reduce petrol/diesel consumption.