Hyderabad: Around 230 degree colleges in Telangana state are likely to be shut down or merged with others this year as they recorded less than 25 per cent admission in the last three years. A decision was expected before the new academic year.
Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) earlier said degree colleges with less than 25 per cent admissions would be closed down or merged with others this year. According to TSCHE, more than 160 degree colleges had less than 25 per cent of admissions and around 50 had no admissions at all.
In 2017-2018, 51 colleges had zero admissions and 186 had less than 25 per cent admissions filling just 8,003 seats and leaving 47,482 vacant.
The previous year, there were around 50 colleges with zero admissions and 157 colleges with less than 25 per cent and just 7,000 seats were filled and 39,130 were vacant.
Telangana Degree College Managements general secretary Vijay Bhaskar Reddy said, “Shutting down so many degree colleges in the state is not correct because there are many students in degree second and third-year. If the government plans to close down the colleges then it should do on the basis of infrastructure and standard.’’
The government should consider stopping courses which had less intake after discussions with managements. There are many such courses like life science stream, commerce and arts, he said and added, “We will not accept the closing down of colleges.”
Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) Chairman Papi Reddy said, “Closure of colleges is not our intention. We will try to merge the degree colleges with others which have more that 25 per cent admissions and managements of colleges which have less than 25 per cent and zero admissions are open to take their decision of closing down.’’.
“In colleges which have less than 25 per cent or zero admissions since last three years, we will relocate the students and if colleges want to continue, they can do so or can shut down,” he added.
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