Harsh Goenka Is Thankful He Didn't Go To School In Kerala: 'Where Would I Have Hidden My...'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Kerala schools are doing away with conventional seating arrangements (traditional rows with desks arranged in straight lines facing the teacher) and have opted for a semi-circular arrangement with the educator in the centre, mitigating the concept of "backbenchers".

The revolutionary classroom seating order is inspired by the Malayalam film Sthanarthi Sreekuttan. Harsh Goenka , Chairman of RPG Enterprises, mockingly remarked that he was glad to have skipped Kerala schools as "they've abolished backbenchers! That was my permanent seat," he said.

"Thank goodness I didn't go to school in Kerala - they've abolished backbenchers! That was my permanent seat. Where would I have hidden my quick nap, my doodles, my secret samosa?" the tweet read.

His post drew an array of reactions from social media users, who echoed similar sentiments and described the nostalgia of sitting in the back seats.

A user wrote: "This Kerala system, going by the fact that first benchers typically don't sign well in life, the entire classroom won't be signing well."

Another said: "When I answered a question in class and the whole class turned back to look at me - that feeling was priceless. That's what made me stay a backbencher forever. Not just for naps and secret snacks, but for those quiet moments of surprise."

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A third user said: "We should have these arrangements in colleges and universities. Definitely not in school...

Why compromise fun in school?"

A fourth user simply wrote: "Proud to be a backbencher."

'No more front benchers'

Several schools in Kerala are adopting a new semi-circular classroom seating arrangement inspired by the Malayalam film Sthanarthi Sreekuttan, which premiered on Saina Play last month. Moving away from traditional rows, this change places the teacher at the centre.

Director Vinesh Viswanath, whose debut film is set in an upper primary school in Thiruvananthapuram, said,“At least six schools have already introduced it and we came to know of it when they tagged our Instagram handle,” as reported by The Hindu. Reflecting on his own school days, Vinesh recalled sitting in a similar arrangement at Government LP School in Thiruvananthapuram and added,“But when we placed that as the climax, we never expected it to reach so many schools."

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