Parents to take colleges to task for cramped classrooms
Almost 50 per cent of the 1,800 junior colleges located in
commercial and residential areas of the city have a couple of cramped rooms from
where they conduct classes. Parents and educationists who are planning
to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the AP High Court demanding the closure
of such colleges say that most of these colleges are located in areas that do not
have facilities to conduct classes and several are considered unsafe especially
for girl students.
Several such colleges had already admitted students this academic season in May
despite complaints against them with the BIE. In most cases, the college authorities
show parents their permanent campus at the time of admissions. But once admissions
are done, a majority of the students are put up in temporary premises located in
commercial areas, stated Zakir Hussain, a parent and educationist who is now moving
the court. Joining him are 20 other parents whose children were admitted in institutions
functioning illegally from temporary premises.
These parents cite the example of a girl private junior college located in Dilshuknagar.
Located in a commercial area close to a bar, this one-room college violates possibly
all norms of the Board of Intermediate Education. Parents state that the college
authorities had shown them a different campus before the admissions.
BIE has been allowing about 800 colleges in the city to function from temporary
premises since the past 12 to 15 years. The colleges are not asked to shift locations
as they come under a powerful lobby of businessmen who have already established
their contacts with the ministry, stated Madhusudan, a junior lecturer. As per BIE
rules, it is mandatory for junior college buildings to have a minimum area of 8,000
sq ft built on one acre of land, several colleges from the city are conducting classes
from temporary or makeshift premises, parents said. Students said that they are
denied of basic facilities, from laboratory facilities to toilets, the makeshift
arrangements do not have an infrastructure to support day-long schooling. We miss
the whole college experience, stated a student.
The BID authorities refuse to crack the whip on these institutions. The board officials
stated that they have not conducted inspections as they are busy with intermediate
advanced supplementary examinations and evaluations. We will look into the parent's
claims and take action against colleges that are violating rules, said M. Ratnakar,
inspection officer, BIE.
Courtesy: Times of India
