Khammam: The future of four government degree colleges located in Madhira, Garla, Yellandu and Nelakondapalli hangs in the balance with the guidelines of the Telangana Higher Education Council.
It has decided that the degree colleges running under private and government management that had a student strength of 25 per cent of its capacity, will be closed. The enrollment of students in the four degree colleges has come down to 20 per cent. If the government sticks to the higher education council guidelines, these institutions will be closed in the next academic year and the students of these backward areas will have to come to Khammam for degrees.
P. Venkateswara Rao, a retired lecturer said, “Following the recommendations of the higher education council is not correct and the government should try to increase the strength there. The poor will be the worst hit by the decision.”
The condition of another 27 private degree colleges in erstwhile Khammam district is also on the same lines. They registered below 25 per cent student strength. The issue became a problem for the Kakatiya University while dealing with degree colleges in Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts. There are no students in four private degree colleges and these managements are preparing to close their institutions.
As for the details, there are 1.29 lakh degree seats in the limits of Kakatiya University and 76,000 seats (59 per cent) have been left over in the 2017-18 academic year.
In Khammam town, there are nine private degree colleges and two government degree colleges. There are 8,165 seats in the nine degree colleges and only 4,846 seats have been filled. Leftover are 3,319 seats. SR and BGNR Government Degree College, which was a reputed institution, too lagged behind. The college had 1,100 seats’ strength and 242 seats were vacant in 2017-18.
About 180 students have joined various degree courses in the Government Women’s Degree College against its capacity of 510 seats in this year.
