Bifurcation blues in Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University

Visakhapatnam: Bifurcation blues may continue to haunt residuary Andhra Pradesh this year as well. Reason: Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University (PSTU) has released admission notification only for the two campuses in Telangana, leaving out the three campuses of Rajahmundry, Kuchipudi and Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh. There are about 300 seats in various courses available in these campuses.

Let alone admissions, there is a lot of dilemma even among the existing students as to who would conduct the exams or to whom to submit the thesis reports.

Speaking to this correspondent, Prof E. Siva Reddy, vice-chancellor of PSTU, admitted that they are just implementing the Telangana Gove-rnment’s orders and said that it’s up to both the Telugu governments to come to a consensus.

A letter recently sent to these three campuses on behalf of the registrar stating that the university is not going to release the salaries and other expenses from August has put a question mark over the fate of the employees too.

Prof G. S. Bhaskara Rao, Dean, Rajahmundry PSTU campus, said, “We have received a GO copy to the effect of confirmed stoppage of salaries from August. But it’s not a big issue compared to the admissions, which can rob the students a year’s valuable time. We re-quest the State government to take immediate measures to shift the University to Rajahmundry, which has the distinction of being the cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh.” But protests are erupting in response to Telangana government’s decision.

Former Rajya Sabha member and writer Yarlagadda Lakshmi Pr-asad sat on a day-long hunger strike on Thur-sday in Rajahmundry asking the government to setup a new Telugu University in Rajahm-undry for Andhra Pra-desh. On the other hand, the YSRCP students’ uni-on also protested in front of the Telugu Adm-inistrative Block in Andhra University four days ago in Vizag.But an official from these campuses, on condition of anonymity, said that the State government’s lethargic attitude is dogging the students.

“Despite Telangana government not paying heed to the court directions over admissions, our government is not going any extra mile to resolve the issues or start new University,” he rued.