Telangana: Private colleges growing at the cost of government colleges

Hyderabad: A plethora of problems which have been plaguing the government-run degree colleges in the State remain unaddressed for the past six years. There are allegations that the Collegiate Education is spending its time working mostly for the private degree colleges than the government degree colleges.

According to sources in the Commissionerate of Collegiate Education (CCE), in all there are 1,159-degree colleges in Telangana. Out of this, 118 are government colleges, 47 private but government-aided degree colleges. Besides, there are nine government autonomous degree colleges. The rest are private degree colleges.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official from the State Education Department (SED) said, "Out of the total government-run degree colleges not more than 60 have regular principals. There are 4,000 and odd sanctioned posts of the degree college lecturers. But, only around 800 regular lecturers are working in different government degree colleges. Another 1,200 are teaching on contract basis."

In the case of the remaining 2,000 lecturers, the classes are run either by roping in guest lecturers or there are no lecturers.

"The situation is costing dearer to the government degree colleges to go for accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)," an in-charge principal of a government college in the city.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been asking the affiliated universities to give hand-holding to its affiliated degree colleges to go for the NAAC accreditation. It is also providing funds for the same and to engage experts on honorariums in the preparation of project reports for NAAC. However, the first hurdle that several degree colleges are facing is that the NAAC won't recognise the contract lecturers and guest lecturers and every institution going for the accreditation process should have a certain percentage of regular teachers.

But, more than 75 per cent of the degree colleges have only contract or guest faculties. Similarly, the NAAC accreditation also evaluates the performance of the lecturers and their contributions like published research papers and academic contributions. Even in this case, it would take into consideration only if the lecturers are working as permanent staff of the college. Adding to these woes, the State government as a matter of policy has been withdrawing the aid to the private-aided colleges in the State. In turn, such colleges are also facing issues to go for the NAAC accreditation.