New colleges lack staff, infrastructure

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 24

The present government in the last three years has opened seven new colleges in Kangra district at Jandor in Jaswan Paragpur Assembly constituency, Ray in Indora, Dadasiba in Dehra area, Khundian in Jawalamukhi, Nagrota Surian in Jawali, Takipur in Kangra and Lunj in Shapur assembly constituency.

The newly opened colleges lack infrastructure, are operating in two to three rooms hired from primary or senior secondary schools and lack teaching and administrative staff.

Though the state government has opened seven new colleges only in Kangra district no new teacher has been recruited in college cadre. As per the data provided by the state government in Himachal Assembly there were over 500 vacancies of teacher in colleges. Now the number might have gone up with new colleges being opened all over the state.

At present, the state government was transferring teachers from old to new colleges. Many teachers from the Dharamsala Government College, one of the oldest colleges of the state, have been shifted to new colleges opened up in the district. This has depleted the strength of teachers in Dharamsala college that serves the students from both Kangra and Chamba district.

The faculty strength in the new colleges ranges from two to five teachers on an average. At present arts graduation courses that also in limited subjects have been started in new colleges. The new colleges have an average strength of just about 100 students.

The teachers of colleges, while talking to The Tribune on the condition of anonymity, said many government colleges that were opened even a decade ago still lack infrastructure. Shahpur Government College that has been functioning for than a decade ago is running in an old ramshackle building.

The science classes have not been started in the college as yet. They said the government should first improve infrastructure and provide teachers in old colleges before opening up new college.

There are 19 government colleges in Kangra district i.e. more than one government college per Assembly constituency.

The Opposition has been accusing the Congress government of destroying higher education in the state by opening up colleges without infrastructure and teachers. Leader of the Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal had recently alleged that the colleges were being opened without any justification just to please the political leaders.

College teachers alleged that with more and more students opting for job-oriented courses there was no logic in opening up new government colleges that offer just graduation in arts subjects. Instead the state government should consolidate the colleges at the district levels and create better infrastructure in them so that they can be developed as centres of excellence.