Lingaraj Law College, the premier law college in the city is grappling with manifold problems.
Established in 1969 and affiliated to Berhampur University, the college now has 528 students in its roll. While 480 students are pursuing LLB, 48 are enrolled in LLM course.
However, there are only two regular teachers including the principal in place of six sanctioned teacher posts to cater to the academic needs of the students.
“Though three contractual teachers have been hired by the college, they are not able to meet the students’ demands,” alleged students’ union president Priyansu Sekhar Parida. Principal NC Patnaik and lecturer LK Dev are managing the affairs, he added. Besides, the college lacks basic facilities like toilet, hostel and playground while the college building is in a dilapidated condition. The termite-bitten window panels fail to stop the rain water from entering into the classrooms during rainy season, said Parida.
Repeated missives to the college administration by the students’ union to address the problems have yielded no result, rued Parida.
Due to lack of hostels, the students are forced to dole out large amount to live in rented houses. The students’ union recently submitted a memorandum to the University authorities on their problems, informed Parida. The students have also asked for a bus to address their transportation needs.
When contacted, Prof Dev admitted that the shortage of teachers was affecting the education of the students. Moreover, the college library needs to be updated. The students should be kept abreast of the Laws which are amended every year.
Dev said around 1000 books were destroyed in the cyclonic storm Phailin. The University authorities have initiated measures to appoint two teachers in the college, added Dev.