KENDRAPARA: Former principals and lecturers of Kendrapara Autonomous College have demanded the state government to upgrade the 64-year-old institution into a university. The demand for the upgradation of the college after the government granted university status to Dharanidhar College in Keonjhar and Vikram Deb Autonomous College in Jeypore.
“We hope the government will look into our demand,” said ex-princila Nandakishore Parida. Retired lecturer Tapan Pati said the college has the required infrastructure for its upgradation into a university. “The University Grants Commission has suggested limiting the affiliation strength of a university to a maximum of 100 colleges. Kendrapara Autonomous College was granted ‘A’ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) five years back.
Research activities can be taken up once the college is upgraded into a university,” he said. Another former principal Ramachandra Behera said students from rural areas often find it tough to access university education in big cities. “If the government upgrades Kendrapara Autonomous College into a university, it will fulfil the aspirations of several students from rural areas,” he said. Last year, the state government had given its nod to start post-graduate courses in Economics, Political Science, Commerce and Physics in the college.