While the State Government continues to open new higher educational institutions, more than half of the total number of existing Government-run graduate or post graduate (PG) colleges are still running, sans the minimum basic infrastructure like building in the hill state.
With five new degree colleges being opened, the total number of Government-run graduate or PG colleges has gone up to 90 this academic session in the State. But the fact is that just 45 of them have their own buildings.
However, the officials of the directorate of higher education claimed that whereas 45 colleges are being run from their own buildings the same are under construction for 20 of them. For the rest, land identification process is on, maintained the officials.
However, the academicians from the state say the State Government should be more sincere to implement its own mission of providing quality and modern education to the students.
Besides, they cite poor faculty in different colleges. State Government’s commitment to make Uttarakhand an educational hub rings hollow in view of such glaring facts, one of them said.
According to the officials concerned, the sanctioned strength of the teaching staff in higher education is about 1366 for the existing Government graduate and PG colleges in the state. But only about 576 posts are presently filled with regular teachers, while rest are filled with visiting lecturers.
Apart from this, the additional burden on the existing degree or PG colleges in urban areas due to migration of people from Uttarakhand’s hill areas to the cities is compounding things further.
The enormous number of admission- seekers for urban colleges like MBPG College, Haldwani this academic session can be cited to make things clear.
Mention worthy, as per UGC norms, about 1440 students have got admissions in the first year degree courses in the MBPG College, Haldwani this year, while over 3,000 students have failed to enroll themselves. Similarly, the students are also battling hard to get admissions in other degree or PG colleges in the plains of Uttarakhand.
However, to ease things for the students, the State Government has announced relaxation in the admission criteria to accommodate maximum number of admission-seekers.