Hyderabad: The faculty at the one year-old Government Degree College, Falaknuma, is desperately looking towards the skies for help. The classes will begin in a couple of days and the staff has the major task of accommodating about 700 students in three classrooms.
The college was started last academic year in a hurry after the government sanctioned two colleges for Old City. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had announced the setting up of the college in the legislative assembly and soon the colleges were set up in June 2017 by taking over a few class rooms in primary schools.
It is almost a year and half after that; the government released Rs 5 crore for a new building planned at the Falaknuma Educational Institution campus. However, not even the ground breaking ceremony was performed and the money lies unused.
“Already about 250 students, who enrolled last year, are studying in the college. Another 500 students will enrol this academic year for the 14 streams being taught in commerce, sciences and humanities. All we have are four classrooms in a primary school.” said principal of the College, Dr R. Nagender Reddy, who is also member of the Telangana State Council of Higher Education.
Two intermediate colleges located in the educational institution campuses feed the degree colleges. About 1000 students each are studying in the girls and boys junior college. “Around 400 students pass out every year and will be enrolling in the Degree College. Another couple of hundred who pass out from a few private junior colleges in Falaknuma, Chandrayangutta and Charminar will apply here.” informed a faculty member. “At present, we will need at least about a dozen rooms to accommodate the students of various streams. Otherwise, the students will cancel their admissions after learning about lack of accommodation and facilities at the institutions,” he pointed out.
Mr Shabbir Ahmed, a resident of Chandrayangutta, said that he had applied for his son’s admission to the college but backed off after learning about lack of accommodation. “What is the use when there are no proper class rooms? Studies of my child will get affected. I doubt the lecturers will be able to take all the classes a day.” he said.
