Strike throws Satavahana University into chaos

​Karimnagar: The Satavahana University is in chaos with contract teaching staff stepping up their pen-down strike seeking regularization of their services.

Poor infrastructure amenities, inadequate teaching staff, migration of students to other institutions, lack of permanent Vice-Chancellor are some of the other factors for the sorry state of affairs in the university.

Allegations are that the university teaching staff members are not in a position to set the question papers properly. Moreover, the institution has the dubious distinction of providing photocopied manuscripts as question papers instead of printed ones.

The students are expressing anguish to pursue education in the university. There are no government appointed professors and lecturers.

The education of students was thrown to winds because of the alleged derailed administration. The inmates of the university are returning home because of the poor condition of hostels.

The experience of the B Pharmacy students of the university is even worse because their certificate is yet to be recognised by the Pharmacy Council of India. The course was started in 2009. The first batch passed out from the university in 2013. The first batch of students is facing a bleak future.

The students have to study under the shade of trees and tin-roofed ad hoc hostels. Till 2014, male students were provided hostel facility in a rented house and till 2016, females were accommodated in polytechnic college hostels.

Currently, all students, including the polytechnic students, were accommodated in the tin-roofed structures. B Pharmacy students are leaving the college in search of other colleges since the pharmacy course being offered by the university has no recognition.

In general, the strength of the university is gradually coming down for want of basic amenities and educational facilities.

The university has totally failed to implement the semester system, commenced from 2016-17, for students of graduate courses.

Even after the conclusion of the semester system, practical examinations were not yet through. In fact, the practical exams should be held prior to the conclusion of the semester. The university teaching staff members lagged behind other institutions in framing the syllabus for various semesters.

Administration of private colleges gained an upper hand over that of the university. Students attribute the sorry state of affairs to recruitment of contract staff in permanent posts and absence of permanent Vice-Chancellor to the university.

The ball is in the state government’s court to streamline the university administration. According to Srisailam, principal of the university pharmacy college, B Pharmacy students are indeed facing problems with hostel accommodation.

Proposals have been sent to university authorities for pucca buildings to house the hostel students. As and when the proposals are cleared construction of hostel buildings will begin.

According to university student Janardhan, the students are facing problems in all respects. The academic atmosphere in the university is destroyed. The students have to fight for their rights on one issue or the other.

How can students study even if their minimum needs are not met? Had a permanent VC been appointed the university administration would have been streamlined.

For want of exercising authority from the above, the lower level staff members are taking decisions at their will proving detrimental to the interests of students.

According to contract lecturer Srikant, there will be no let up in the pen-down strike till there is a wage parity and the contract lecturers’ demands are met.

According to Nagaraju, the pharmacy hostel inmate, the hostel campus has no lights and students are dreading to go out for fear of snakes as the campus is full of wild growth of bushes. If something goes wrong, there is no motorable road for the ambulance to reach the hostel.