JOIN USH Halesh, President of Bangalore University College Teachers' Association (BUCTA), says there cannot be a more urgent need to divide the varsity. "At present, the examination and evaluation process in the varsity is plagued by several bottlenecks. A new university with fewer colleges will certainly ease BU's administrative burden," Halesh told Deccan Herald.
He, however, thinks setting up a new campus outside Bangalore is infeasible. Universities in the State are already affected by the lack of resources.
Teachers don't get their salaries on time. Hence, setting up a new campus at Hoskote doesn't look promising, he felt. Halesh suggested that a separate campus be established at Jnanabharathi for the other university.
"The Jnanabharathi campus is spread over more than 1,000 acres. Can't they spare a few hundred acres for the new university so that both the institutes can function side by side," he argued.
Another solution, according to Halesh, is to start postgraduate centres in well-known colleges. He says the Central College simply cannot cope with the needs of a university.
Bangalore has many colleges with good facilities. A few such institutes could be chosen and PG centres should be established at such colleges until a campus comes up at the Jnanabharathi. This would help the students and the teachers alike. A new student could easily get the required facilities, he added. R Ramachandrappa, who teaches chemistry at the Jyoti Nivas College, seconds this view.
Sensible proposal
H Prakash, President of the Karnataka Government College Teachers' Association, is probably the only one who has fully supported the recommendations of the Higher Education Council. He finds no fault with the Central College being the campus of one of the universities and the splitting of BU property.
His logic: "The proposal is sensible. The Central College campus should also include about 25 acres lying vacant behind the Freedom Park. Besides, the Press Club of Bangalore which has been ordered by the High Court to be shifted out should be handed over to the new university. This land is about 70 acres," Prakash argues. In his view, the new universities should be developed vertically with colleges in the urban as well as the rural areas.
City colleges have also supported the move saying it would help in better administration. “It is, no doubt, a good decision. BU is known for conducting exams late and delaying results. Hopefully, the proposal will bring cheers,” the principal of a college said.