|
|
|
|
|
| Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Over 900 students’ future in jeopardy
Govt. College of Arts and Science lacks infrastructure
- College forced to rent a marriage hall to
accommodate first year students
- It also faces shortage of faculty members
Mettur: The official lethargy in the construction of permanent
buildings and creation of various important facilities in Periyar
University College of Arts and Science, a constituent college
of the varsity, has put the future of over 900 students of the
college in jeopardy.
The college, which was started in 2006, is functioning on the
premises of the Government Higher Secondary School at Mettur
and Thukkanampatti Municipal Primary School.
The academic activities in the college are severely affected
as it lacks full-fledged classrooms, laboratories, learning
aids and equipment. Students are forced to sit in small classrooms,
which do not have facilities required for the higher education.
UG Programmes
Initially, 281 students were admitted in three undergraduate
programmes.
Then six new undergraduate courses including B.Sc. Computer
Science and B.Sc. Geology and a postgraduate course were introduced
and over 620 students were admitted in the last academic year.
Another 600 students will be enrolled on its registers during
current year. The college functions in two shifts due to space
constraints. The university is forced to rent a marriage hall
this year to accommodate the first year students.
The college also faces shortage of faculty members. “We
have just one class a day. The practical sessions are not being
conducted properly. There are virtually no extra-curricular
activities in the college. If this situation continues, our
career prospects will be bleak”, students claim.
Higher Education
A majority of the students admitted in the college hail from
economically backward sections.
They have come with the hope to get quality higher education
so that they can land in better jobs. But now they are forced
to study in poor conditions, teachers point out.
Annoyed over the delay, students recently resorted to a dharna
on the GHSS premises. The Government had identified a site for
the construction of permanent buildings for the college in Mettur
several months ago.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi laid the foundation stone for
the construction of the permanent buildings in September last
year. But the construction is yet to begin. The university has
a proposal to construct temporary buildings in the site to conduct
the classes. The proposal still remains on paper.
When contacted, Vice-Chancellor M. Thangaraju said that tenders
were called for the construction of permanent buildings. Steps
were also being taken up to appoint more faculty members in
the college, he promised.
Courtesy: The Hindu
|
| << Back |
|
|
