The Higher Education Department’s negligence has come to light following revelations about the dire situation at Government College Jaipur, which has been operating out of a nine-room school building for the past 12 years. Despite the completion of a new college building six months ago, it has not yet been officially handed over to the college. This ongoing delay is severely affecting students’ academic futures. Due to inadequate infrastructure, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has refused to grant approval for key courses in the upcoming academic session, meaning the college will be unable to offer admissions to professional programmes like MBA, BBA, and BCA. This has left many students uncertain about their educational prospects.
The situation is especially concerning because the college had already enrolled students in MBA, BBA, and BCA courses last year and conducted the first semester exams. However, Rajasthan University has now denied affiliation, jeopardising the students’ degrees. The root of the issue lies in the college’s lack of an occupancy certificate for its new building, a critical requirement for AICTE approval. Ironically, the new building is ready, but its official handover has not occurred, putting the future of students at risk.
College operating in cramped space
Government College Jaipur, established in 2013, has been functioning in a temporary arrangement at Raja Ramdev Poddar Mahavidyalaya near Gandhi Circle on JLN Marg, occupying just nine rooms on the first floor. Twelve years later, the situation remains the same, with only five classrooms available for nearly 3,000 students. The rest of the rooms are used for administrative purposes, such as the principal’s office, the staff room, and a computer lab. The lack of space is so severe that students are forced to sit on the floor in corridors during classes, a situation that stands in stark contrast to the more comfortable settings of schoolchildren in nearby classrooms.
Despite offering courses like B.Sc., the college lacks even a basic science lab. Principal Professor Snigdha Sharma has acknowledged the severe infrastructure limitations, noting the challenges faced by students and staff. She praised the cooperation of teachers and students in keeping the college running smoothly but called on the government to immediately hand over the new building to secure the future of thousands of students.
Construction delays
In 2015, former Higher Education Minister Kalicharan Saraf allocated 27,876 square meters of land within the Raja Ramdev Poddar Government Higher Secondary School campus for the construction of Government College Jaipur’s new building. A budget of Rs 100 crore was sanctioned for the project, with Rs 38 crore released as the first installment. The initial work, including the basement and plinth level, was completed at a cost of Rs 9.5 crore.
However, after a change in government, the construction of the college building came to a standstill. In February 2022, the succeeding administration introduced a new plan to develop the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Excellence on the same land, with a revised budget of Rs 355 crore, including Rs 100 crore for Government College Jaipur. Construction of the building was completed approximately six months ago, but due to the absence of a formal inauguration, the new facility remains unused.
Meanwhile, the college continues to function out of just nine rooms in a shared school building at Gandhi Circle, despite catering to over 3,000 students. These rooms include space for the principal, staff room, office, and one computer lab, leaving only five classrooms for all courses.
MLA Kalicharan Saraf reiterated the urgency of the matter, stating that he has already written to the government, requesting that the newly constructed building be handed over to the college without delay. He emphasised that shifting the college to its designated premises would not only provide a better learning environment for students but also help resolve the issues related to course recognition.
