New degree colleges face classroom crisis

The nodal officers appointed to oversee the functioning of the 47 new government degree colleges, that will start functioning in the academic year 2014 -15 in the State, face a challenging task — to find buildings to run classes.

In September, the government issued orders appointing lecturers from nearby colleges, as nodal officers to the new colleges. Among the 47 new colleges, 23 are women’s degree colleges. 

The nodal officers have been instructed to find land for the construction of college buildings. Since securing land and constructing buildings are time-consuming tasks, the officers have been entrusted with identifying buildings to temporarily house the new colleges. 

But finding temporary classrooms ahead of the academic year and identifying suitable land for the construction of new colleges are proving to be a tough job for the nodal officers, according to Ramachandra, the nodal officer of a college proposed at Ayanur in Shimoga district. 

Dayanand, another official from Madikeri, said that even though he had acquired temporary classrooms, they were not sufficient as more rooms were needed for the new college. “The problem of land is there. However, the immediate issue is to find temporary classrooms,” he said. 

According to B L Bhagyalakshmi, Director, Department of Collegiate Education, 50 per cent of the colleges have managed to acquire temporary classrooms and land, while negotiations are still on with regards to others. 

“We do not want any controversies and land should be acquired through proper means. Even if private individuals want to donate land with reasonable conditions like the naming of the college according to their wishes, etc, we will agree,” she said. 

An official of the department suggested that the nodal officers in charge of overseeing each college should seek help from local MLAs to acquire land as it was on the legislators’ requests that the colleges were sanctioned. 

Many proposed colleges will be initially functioning from government schools and PU colleges in the area. While, other government buildings and marriage halls will also be used until permanent buildings are set up. 

“Classrooms in government schools and PU colleges will be used on a shift basis so that there are no hassles,” said Bhagyalakshmi.

The new colleges would be in addition to the three colleges approved earlier this year. Thus, the number of colleges approved by the government this year is 50. With this, the total number of degree colleges in the State has gone up to 407.