TV
With the construction work of the campus of the Odia University at Satyabadi still going on even after four years of laying foundation stone, the students are at a crossroads.
Even though the construction work has not been completed, nor has vice-chancellor, registrar, comptroller of finance been appointed, the Higher Education department has decided to start classes from this education year.
Since the campus is yet to be ready, the department has planned to start classes at the administrative building of the adjacent Utkalmani Gopabandhu College. But the uncertainty regarding when the classes will start is haunting students.
Earlier, it was decided that the entrance examination of the Odia University will be conducted simultaneously with the Common PG Entrance. The department in a letter directed the concerned authority to end the admission process by June and inaugurate the University by July.
Surprisingly, though the Common PG Entrance is already over, the entrance examination of the Odia University couldn’t be held.
Now, it has been decided that PG Entrance will once again be conducted only for the Odia University. For this, students have been asked to apply from July 8.
“I want to take admission into the University but can’t. This is because; dates for admission are being announced and then put on hold. Once started, it will be very helpful for the poor students of Satyabadi area,” said Ganesh Pradhan, a student.
“I would like to request the government to start the university as soon as possible so that the poor students will be immensely benefited,” observed Madhusmita Pradhan, another student.
When contacted, principal in-charge of Utkalmani Gopabandhu College, Satyasiba Sundar Mishra said, “They (Odia University authorities) are contemplating on starting the classes from our ladies' hostel which has been lying vacant most of the time.”
According to language experts, the inertia of the government is an affront to Odia language.
“The Culture University, started in 2000, is yet to receive the UGC approval. This is because; the university couldn’t start classes for five subjects at the time of inception. The same thing will happen to the Odia University as it is going to start with three subjects,” observed Dr Subrat Prusty, a linguist.
