JAGATSINGHPUR: A strong sense of resentment is brewing among hundreds of students of Government Polytechnic College at Nuagaon of Jagatsinghpur owing to lack of adequate faculty and infrastructure.
The college is not only short of teaching and non-teaching staff but also lacks hostel facility, playground and other infrastructure. After being set up last year, 110 students took admission in the first batch while 161 students were admitted in 2018-19 academic year.
As many as 31 students were given admission to the college in lateral entry taking the total strength to 292. But the college has only one lecturer in the mechanical engineering department while the civil engineering department does not have any faculty.
As per All India Council of Technical Education rules, a polytechnic college must have at least 21 lecturers including five senior lecturers and training superintendent. The students said the college has no permanent lecturer while the posts of principal and head of department has been lying vacant since it started functioning. The principal of Rayagada polytechnic college is its in-charge.
Besides, the college has only one hostel which accommodates 60 students. The other students from outside are staying in rented houses. Attending classes is an uphill task for them as the college does not have communication facilities.
In-charge principal Srinivas Rao said acute shortage of faculty is a major challenge for the college. Besides, absence of guest lecturers in English, Mathematics and Science has worsened the situation, he said, adding 30 girl students have been accommodated in the staff quarters owing to lack of hostels. Steps are being taken to construct a proper road to the college, he added.