The Department of Collegiate Education has shifted six government first grade colleges, including three in Hassan, citing the lack of strength. Interestingly, among the six, four have been relocated to Bengaluru, while the rest two to Belagavi district.
In Hassan, the colleges located at Hettur (Sakleshpur taluk), Arehalli (Belur) and Halli Mysuru (Holenarasipur) have been chosen, citing that the students’ strength in these was below 100. The remaining three were located in Sathanur in Ramanagar district, Terakanambi in Gundlupet taluk and Hanur in Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district.
Government order
The State government issued an order to this effect last month. Rajappa, principal, Lead College, Hassan district, told The Hindu that the government had taken this decision considering the poor students’ strength. “The government had sought reports about the students’ strength. Based on these, the decision has been taken. The teaching staff had no workload in these colleges because of the poor strength. A professor should have 16-hour-duty a week. But, given the strength, they did not have even a part-time job,” he said.
The government, in its order, stated that the students of these colleges could be accommodated in government colleges nearby. With the closure of the college at Hettur, there would be only one college at Sakleshpur town for the entire taluk. “We have a building for the college. And, recently a post-metric hostel has been sanctioned for Hettur. The government should not take the students’ strength alone as the criteria for such a decision,” opined H.K. Kumaraswamy, State JD(S) president and Sakleshpur MLA.
The MLA said he would meet the senior officers and appeal them to retain the college in Hettur. In Malenadu region, it would be difficult for the students to travel long distances. Moreover, Sakleshpur is known for elephant menace, he added.
