Port Blair, Aug. 22: There was much hue and cry in the political lobby of the islands, when quite a few aspirants could not get admissions in the only Arts & Science College in South Andaman i.e. Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidhyalay (JNRM). Most of these aspirants had less marks when compared to the successful ones and some of them had just missed because of limited capacity of the college.

Few such aspirants took this opportunity to knock the doors of the political parties, with a hope that some extra seats are added in the college to accommodate them. They also had a fear that they would be a year behind to become ‘graduates’. The approach of the aspirants had stirred the leaders, who then decided to demand for an Evening College to begin in the same college premises.

After much persuasion by the political parties, the Lt. Governor of A&N Islands had approached the Pondicherry University, to which the college is affiliated and placed the demand of opening an evening college. As announced some time ago, the University did not have any objections and the LG directed the concerned authorities in the islands to start one in the next academic year itself.

The news brought a cheer on the faces of the aspirants and more smiles on the faces of the political leaders for having achieved something great. But the question is, is it really possible to start the proposed evening college as was instructed by the Administrator.  Does JNRM have sufficient resources and infrastructure to even think of such a venture? Moreover even if an evening college is started, what will it produce? Unskilled Graduates…???

Andaman Chronicle took this opportunity to discuss the issue with some of the lecturers posted at JNRM and also with the staff of IGNOU to seek their opinion in this regard.

While some of the lecturers were of the opinion that the decision is to premature, others were totally against the decision as they believed, it will be a bane for the aspirants instead of a boon.

“What are we producing in this college presently? Graduates with just pass marks”, asked one of the lecturers. What is the use of such graduation, when the candidate is not able to learn anything from it and even aspire for higher education, he said.

Another lecturer said, “We are already running short of lecturers to suffice the need of the present candidates. Every lecturer is given a limited hours to complete the course. And he is not supposed to exceed the allotted hours. With limited resources available, the college is forced to appoint part time lecturers. In such a situation, discussing evening college itself is a waste of time”, he added.

The islands need quality education and courses that are job oriented. It will be of no use to the society if hundreds of graduates are produced every year without any skill, opined another.

“If the aim of evening college is to produce ‘graduates’, why don’t the aspirants opt for Open University like IGNOU, which seems to be doing well in the islands”, said the lecturer.

Upon further discussion, Andaman Chronicle came to know that there is not only shortage of lecturers in JNRM and even at MG College, Mayabunder where the Principal himself is not competent enough for the post but also the present infrastructure is not sufficient to have another college. There is no hostel facility to accommodate more students, shortage of office staff etc. which is the minimum criteria to start a college.  

“Why should Pondicherry University object to any proposal, if somebody wants to open a college? After all the University is well aware of the terms and conditions, infrastructure, facilities etc. without which the proposal will just remain a proposal”, the lecturers jointly opined.

In such a situation, wherein the producers (lecturers) themselves seem to be sceptical, should the proposal of evening college be added to the long list of promises before 2014?