It was expected that the State Government will consider upgrading the Government Autonomous College, Rourkela, to a university as it fulfils all most all criteria, but it could not. That is why the students and denizens of Rourkela are aggrieved. Now to add the salt to the wounds of Rourkelites, it is said that from the coming academic session, the College of Teacher Education (BEd College), Rourkela, will be closed as notified by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). Source said the college was established in 1981 in the name of Rourkela College of Educational Training with two years regular BEd course under a private management with 100 intake capacity. Later in 1992, the Govt took over it and subsequently in 2005 it was upgraded to the status of college of teacher education. In 1996, it also for first time got accreditation from the NCET.

In different times, its accreditation was renewed and for the last time, it was renewed in May 2015 with certain terms and conditions.Amongst the other conditions the two major conditions were infrastructure development and appointment of required number of teaching and other staff. Accordingly, the institution needs 15 teaching staff, including a regular principal. But surprisingly, at present the college has only one in-charge principal having no teaching staff. And it is primarily managed with only five guest faculties.

Similarly, according to the NCET guideline, the college needs at least 2,000 square meter area. But the college has only 966.74 square meter area. Besides, the institution fails to fulfill the conditions of NCTE in many other fields, including having a modern web site. As the institution fails to follow the guidelines, the NCET issued a so- cause notice for the first time on April 20, 2018 with a strict instruction to fulfil the shortfalls soon. But the State Govt could not take any steps and on May 18, the NCET served second notice whose reply was submitted by the institution authority on May 27. On July 26 in the meeting of NCET’s Eastern Region Committee (ERC), during a review, it was assumed that despite repeated notice the institution authority has not been following guidelines to fulfill the shortfalls. So, on Aug 28, the NCET served its final verdict instructing not to take admission from 20-21 session. Of course, it has given two months’ time to appeal in NCET. But the question is, can the institution be able to meet the shortfalls within two months. If it could not, then the 38 -year- old institution will be closed.It may be noted here that due to apathetical attitude of the State Govt in past, the Rourkela city was deprived of many respectable institutions like ESIC Medical College, IIM, though the city was deserving them all. Now due to the negligence, another old institution's fate is going to be sealed.