IIIT classes yet to begin in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: Even after two years of its inception, officials of the departments concerned have failed to conduct classes in the town. Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivas Rao inaugurated the IIIT at the 21st Century Gurukulam campus in SM Village of Etcherla mandal on October 9, last year.

Highlights:

• Digital learning initiated at Nuzvid this year too
• We are unable to announce fixed date to run classes here, says IIIT director

At that time, the Minister and officials made an announcement that the classes would be held at Srikakulam campus from the academic year, 2017-18. For land acquisition, more than nine months were spent and finally, it was settled in June first week this year, with government finally, giving its nod to allot 200 acres of land in addition to the existing 43 acres of land.

The IIIT was started here to offer a six-year integrated engineering course to students including Intermediate after SSC. As per the allotment, each year, the in-take of students was 1000 in number. For the two academic years 2016-17 and 2017-18, a total of 2,000 students took admissions.

However, due to lack of accommodation in Srikakulam, classes are being held for these 2,000 students at the IIIT campus in Nuzvid since last year. Officials have made efforts to provide temporary accommodation at nearest private engineering and nursing colleges buildings. But this process is yet to materialise and on the other hand, so much of time was being wasted to construct own buildings on the allotted lands.

Now only the administrative office is being run at 21 century Gurukulam campus for information purpose. Every year, classes are being held in the digital format. “We had planned to start classes even for some students at Srikakulam campus by October this year but by considering the present situation, we are unable to say classes schedule here’ Director for IIIT (Srikakulam), P Appala Naidu told The Hans India here on Monday.