KOCHI: At a time when the Maharaja’s College is in the limelight regarding its autonomous status, the information centre on the campus cuts a sorry figure.
Though it is the only centre for the students to seek information regarding the MG University at Ernakulam district, the authorities have turned a blind eye towards it thanks to its leaky roofs and broken ceilings. Nearly 50 to 200 students frequent the centre for doubts and exam clarifications on a daily basis.
“The overgrown weeds and slushy route leading to the centre is making access to the centre extremely difficult,” students said. Recently, reptiles were spotted near the centre.
“We have been receiving several complaints from students who arrive at the campus from other private and mainstream colleges. The centre was opened several years ago so that students who are take long-distance courses need not go to the University campus at Kottayam for information. With the current rains, we are in constant fear that the roofs will come crashing down,” the officials at the centre said.
The student unions who have taken up the issue said though the District Collector, who is the head of the College Development Committee, had made a visit to the centre two weeks ago, no action has been initiated so far.
Those working with the MGU Information Centre said since the centre belongs to the Maharaja’s College, it is upto the college authorities to maintain it.
They alleged that the College Principal was passing the buck to the Public Works Department as they are responsible for the maintenance and building of blocks in government colleges.
Though there is a College Development Committee, so far they have not taken any steps for the development of the college. “The CDC fees have been upped from `500 to `750 this year. Not even a single meeting has been called so far regarding undertaking repair works,” said KSU unit president Habeeb Rahman M.
The principal said the repair works wont be sufficient to ensure that the information centre functions well. “The building is in ruins and had earlier functioned as a hostel office and mess. No repair works can keep it safe. The only option is to build a new centre. However, there are no talks in this regard,” principal Varghese C Abraham. District Collector M G Rajamanikyam was not available for comments.