SAMBALPUR: Even after repeated demands for a permanent campus, the GM Junior College has been functioning without its own land or building for the last over two decades, leaving students and faculty grappling with inadequate infrastructure.
As per sources, the Plus II classes are currently being conducted within the academy building of GM University, alongside UG, PG, and PhD courses, leading to severe disruptions due to space shortage. While the institution urgently requires 36 classrooms to accommodate over 1,100 students across science, arts, and commerce streams, the existing building has only 11 rooms, forcing students into overcrowded spaces. To add to the students’ woes, outdated facilities in the laboratories and the complete absence of a library have also been depriving them of essential academic resources.
Taking account of these factors, the alumni association along with representatives from several local social organisations had last year approached the Sambalpur district collector highlighting the dire need for proper infrastructure and proposed a 2.55 acre land in Professor Colony, which is under the possession of Sambalpur Trust Fund College in Budharaja, as a suitable site for the campus.
The site, barely 1 km from the current college, would provide easy access to students and staff. Additionally, there are few more patches of land near the identified site which belongs to Irrigation and Revenue departments and could also be considered for acquisition, the alumni association had reasoned further submitting a memorandum in this connection.
Following discussions, district collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar assured of swift action and requested a report from the sub-collector regarding the proposed site in Professor Colony. However months later, the proposal lies in limbo, with no visible progress. Revenue minister Suresh Pujari too, had announced last year that all the educational institutions would get land documents by the end of 2024. But, the commitment is yet to translate into action.
As students continue to struggle due to lack of space and facilities, the delay in allotment of land raises concerns over the fate of the institution. In absence of action, the alumni and social organisations are planning to renew the movement to draw attention of the state government as well as mount pressure on the administration to expedite the process, ensuring that the next academic session does not suffer due to infrastructural shortcomings.