Model Degree College in Palamu awaits academic take-off nearly two years after takeover
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, October 27: The fate of the Model Degree College at Kurka village under Chainpur block in Palamu…
NPU Vice-Chancellor Dr Dinesh Kumar Singh (right) during his visit to the Model Degree College at Kurka village in Chainpur.
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, October 27: The fate of the Model Degree College at Kurka village under Chainpur block in Palamu district hangs in the balance nearly 21 months after Nilamber-Pitamber University (NPU) took it over on January 28, 2025, sources said.
The college has remained a non-starter academically and administratively since January 2025, as permission for admissions and the appointment of a principal, faculty members and other staff remain pending with the state Higher and Technical Education Department, university sources said.
As a result, the campus has neither students nor teachers. University sources said the institution’s launch has also been hampered by a severe shortage of teachers across 10 government colleges under NPU. The university has no surplus teaching staff to deploy at the Kurka college.
Chhatarpur college highlights teacher shortage
The staffing crisis is evident at another model degree college under the university at Chhatarpur, where around 600 students study Arts and Science subjects with just two teachers—a professor-in-charge specialising in Mathematics and an assistant professor of History.
Dr Ravi Shankar, professor-in-charge of the Chhatarpur Model Degree College, told this correspondent, ” There is no science teacher in this degree college except me (Maths)and the university offers graduate degree in science here!”
Commenting on the acute shortage of teachers in government degree colleges, Vice-Chancellor Dr Dinesh Kumar Singh said, ” We have roped in gold medalists to serve as teachers in the government degree colleges but it’s also quite a scarce stuff to meet the challenges arising out of the staring vacancies after vacancies in the colleges.”
A local villager serves as the chowkidar and is reportedly the only person regularly present on the Kurka campus, which has remained inactive for nearly 21 months.
Admissions depend on appointment of staff
The college is intended to provide undergraduate education in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, university sources said it remains little more than a multi-crore concrete structure, with academic activities yet to begin.
NPU Vice-Chancellor Dr Dinesh Kumar Singh said, “We have drawn the attention of the state education department towards this issue.”
The college has no electricity connection, although internal electrical wiring has been installed. A borewell has also been provided for water, the Vice-Chancellor said.
He added that large teak trees had grown on the campus, while invasive grasses and weeds had spread across the premises.
Asked when the college would begin admitting students, the Vice-Chancellor said, “As early as we get principal, assistant professors, associate professors, non-teaching staff.”
28 posts sanctioned for the college
NPU Registrar Dr Nafis Ahmad said the state Higher and Technical Education Department had sanctioned teaching in two faculties—Arts and Commerce—as well as two vocational subjects: Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) and Office Management and Information Technology.
Five Arts subjects have been approved: Hindi, English, Public Administration, Sociology and Psychology.
Although Commerce teaching has also been approved, the subjects to be offered under the faculty have not yet been identified, university sources said.
The state Higher and Technical Education Department has sanctioned 28 posts for the institution, including one assistant professor each for the Arts and Commerce faculties. The sanctioned positions also include a principal, librarian, laboratory assistant, computer operator, storekeeper and Grade IV staff, sources said.
Rural and tribal students stand to benefit
The college is located about seven kilometres from Daltonganj town. The Vice-Chancellor expressed hope that its location would make it convenient for students from surrounding rural areas to attend classes once the institution becomes operational.
“This model degree college at Kurka is in a rural landscape, but it’s just 7 kms away from the town of Daltonganj and boys and girls won’t find coming to this college any difficult,” hoped the VC.
He also suggested that the institution could benefit tribal students from Bhandariya and Badgad in Garhwa district, which fall within the university’s territorial jurisdiction and are around 44 kilometres from the Kurka campus.
The Vice-Chancellor recently visited the college along with Dean of Student Welfare Dr S. K. Pandey.
University sources said NPU had helped revive other model degree colleges, including those at Chhatarpur and Hussainabad, which have secured enrolments. However, the launch of the Kurka college depends on action by the state Higher and Technical Education Department, which the university is awaiting.
