The proposal to relocate the Ravenshaw Junior College elsewhere from its present sprawling campus of the Ravenshaw University here is opposed tooth and nail by many, including students. Hundreds of students under the banner of the Democratic Students’ Organisation (DSO) staged a protest meeting in front of the district Collectorate here on Wednesday.
The State Government has proposed to relocate the college either at nearby Jobra or on the extreme west end of the city at Naraj, where the Ravenshaw University has been given a plot of over 100 acres for its second campus. “Relocation of the college elsewhere would definitely take away the sheen attached to this prestigious college, and we will feel let down,” said a student protester.
Meritorious students from the State Board and from all-India Boards like CBSE and ICSE aspire to get a seat in this prestigious college for its majestic building, vantage location, academic ambience and, above all, its glorious past, said another student.
Ever since the Ravenshaw College got university status in 2006, the Government has been contemplating to shift the junior college as the UGC is against running of any other educational institution from a unitary university campus.
Initially, it was proposed to swap the junior college campus with the Radhanath Traing College here, and, subsequently, fresh land was earmarked by the city civic body for the junior college at Jobra. But every time the proposal is made to shift the college, it meets strong oppositions from students. The Government for last eight years is finding it extremely difficult to give shape to its plan for lack of strong political will, rues an academician of the city.
“Continuance of the junior college in the university campus is not only overcrowding it but the university is also losing out substantial financial assistance from the UGC,” said the academician, who was previously associated with the university.