Students, officials raise questions on University functioning

The Central University here, established five years ago at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore has failed to attract enough students, though the local Government Arts college had enrolled 3,000 students during this period, CU officials said.
This is despite the fact that the University offers coveted five-year Integrated Post Graduate courses on subjects including Physics, Economics, Mathematics, and Mass Media.
Students and officials said the University was not able to attract enough students due to non-appointment of an Examination Controller, Librarian and Pro-Chancellor and alleged that exams held by CU had become a mockery of sorts.
They quoted a UGC report which noted that the Associate Professor and Assistant Professor posts are vacant in all departments. The report had also flayed the University for delaying appointments to the posts, they claimed.

Though the sanctioned strength of professors was 20, only two professors are doing duty.
The officials said University Registrar V K Sridhar had been given six months extension as "Officer on Special Duty" just to conduct its convocation.

They alleged the initial grant of Rs 1,000 crore was also wasted and the administration now has to run from pillar to post to get funds.
The University Court, the governing body, had sanctioned Rs 36-Crore for construction of an auditorium. But only a temporary shed has been put up at a cost of Rs six crore which could accommodate only 30 students.

A member of the governing body told PTI that steps should be taken to tone up the administration.