A government First Grade College at Frazer town in Bangalore city operates in a Tamil primary school without having sufficient classrooms and infrastructure. Despite being allocated enough funds in 2010 for building construction, the college authorities have failed to get a land for the same.
The college has achieved 80 percent result in the last year. Around 50 students have been placed in reputed companies, the teachers are excellent, says B V Krishnappa, Principal of the college. “But we don’t have resources to run the college in a proper way. We have funds, but we could not find a land for constructing a building. At present we have only five class rooms to manage 300 students,” Krishnappa adds.
Students waiting outside the college. Pic: Sankar C G
UGC and Higher Education Ministry joined hands in 2007 to start colleges aimed at educating the poor. V S Acharya was the Higher Education Minister then. They started 180 colleges in the state. But some colleges did not get land for building construction. Four colleges were started in Bangalore in Yelahanka, Malleswaram, HSR layout and Frazer town in 2007. However all these colleges got land and building by 2010, except the Frazer town college.
The Frazer town college started in functioning 2007 in a Tamil Primary school, with an intention to shift to new place when the land for construction was alloted. But even after four years the department could not find land to construct a building. In the meantime the collegiate education department made interim plans.
“Our plan is to demolish the Tamil Primary Government School, for constructing a (bigger) building. In the new building we will provide space for Tamil school to operate,” says Mahesh K, coordinator of quality assurance, Collegiate Education.
1.2 Crore rupees has been allocated for constructing a building and another 75 lakh for building expansion and other infrastructure, says, Mahesh.
First Grade government college, Frazer town. Pic: Sankar C G
But the Principal of Tamil Primary school says, “College authorities did not speak to me about it. Even if they had spoken I would have suggested them to contact Director or Commissioner of Primary Education Department.” The school currently has75 students enrolled.
But the land, where the primary school exists, is owned by Primary Education Department. The Higher Education department is not ready to construct a building until the land is registered in their department’s name.
After V S Acharya’s unexpected death on 14th Feb 2012, Chief Minister is holding the charge of Higher Education Department. When Citizen Matters asked Dev Prakash, director of Primary Education department, about the stand of Primary Education Department on the issue, he was not ready to comment on it.
Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, Minister for Primary Education, on the other hand says, “I don’t know anything about this issue. There is a director and commissioner before an issue reaches me. Anyway I will look into the matter and take necessary steps.”⊕