Bhubaneswar: 21 junior colleges face closure

Berhampur: As many as 21 private junior self-financing colleges in Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Kandhamal districts are facing closure.
Regional director of education, Berhampur, has recommended the government to restrict admissions to the institutes in the ensuing academic session.
"We recommended the government to delete names of these colleges from students' admission management e-admission site and take steps for their closure as they have no infrastructure to run," said regional director of education P K Tripathy.
Maximum 15 colleges are in Ganjam followed by Koraput (four) and Kandhaml and Rayagada (one each), official sources said.
Managements of the colleges had made agreements with government to fulfil all necessary provisions under Odisha Education (OE) Act 1969 within three years of establishment. Most of these colleges have been running for seven years or more.
Despite several instructions from the government, these colleges have not taken any steps to improve infrastructure. Audits conducted by the government had also raised serious objections to functioning of these colleges by flouting provisions of OE Act, official sources said.
According to the act, the colleges have to fulfil basic requirements like adequate land, own building, laboratory, library, qualified faculty and other infrastructure within seven years of functioning to get recognition to run. Temporary recognition beyond seven years is not permissible.
"Since almost all the colleges have completed seven years and failed to fulfil provisions of act, we are forced to take action against them from 2014-15 session," said an officer.
President of SMIT Junior College, Berhampur, Bhagaban Gantayat said they have fulfilled all the provisions of the act to run the college. SMIT is one of the institutions facing action.