Colleges sans infra

DEFYING logic, new colleges are being opened without requisite infrastructure and staff in place. Unsuspecting students are being enrolled. Rather than learning a lesson from this unethical practice that jeopardises the careers of students, the authorities responsible for giving clearances to such institutes seem to be turning a blind eye to the problem. A college in Himachal Pradesh and another in Punjab exemplify the sorry state of affairs.

As many as 72 students were admitted in the first year of the bachelor’s degree course at Government Degree College in Kupvi, Shimla. Lacking teachers, and with the storeroom of a nearby government school as a classroom, the students cannot be blamed for fearing a poor result in the just-concluded exams. The authorities concerned have a lot to answer for letting this situation prevail. Even as five peons and a clerk had been recruited, the plea that teachers from the nearby Nerwa college had been deputed to teach in the Kupvi college is specious. The Nerwa college itself is short of teaching staff, and it would have been unfair to its students had they been deprived of teachers. Exhibiting a similar lackadaisical attitude are those in charge of Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot. On finding serious deficiencies in faculty, patient load and infrastructure, the National Medical Commission has prohibited it from admitting MBBS students for the 2023-24 session. The lack of proper facilities in this case is particularly appalling as earlier too — in 2017-18 and 2018-19 — the college had been debarred from taking fresh batches of students and the current pupils were accommodated in other colleges. The college has apparently failed to fill the infrastructural gaps.

It is a matter of grave concern that colleges are functioning without complying with the statutory regulations. Urgent corrective action is a must.

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