48 govt degree colleges do not have own buildings

Hyderabad: As many as 48 government degree colleges (GDCs) in Telangana have been renewing their university affiliations on a temporary basis for the last 10 years. Speaking to The Hans India, a senior the State Higher Education Department (SHED) official said, "All the 48 GDCs were established after 2008. But,the colleges were not provided with any funds for the construction of permanent buildings," he added.

This has forced the GDCs to function in the temporary accommodations provided in the nearby government junior colleges (GJCs) or high schools. This situation, in turn, made the State universities not able to grant permanent affiliations to these GDCs, as they do not have their permanent buildings.

Following this, the GDCs have been renewing their university affiliations on a temporary basis for the last 10 years. It is just the way traders renew their licences annually, the sources said.

That apart, 13 established GDCs have their own buildings. But, they do not have fully equipped laboratories. Similarly, laboratory infrastructure has to be further strengthened in case of other GDCs running in their own buildings. Because of the lack of laboratory facilities affects the standards of the science courses taught at these colleges.

Taking serious note of the problems faced by the GDCs, the State government had earlier given administrative sanction for Rs 73.70 crore for the construction of new buildings for 33 GDCs and so far Rs 43.61 crore has been released. Further, the SHED is seeking an additional allocation of about Rs 33.75 crore for the construction of new buildings for the remaining 15 GDCs. "We hope to get the funds to take up the construction of the remaining GDCs in the coming academic year," the official said.