Hyderabad, December 05: The private college managements in the Telangana region are perplexed as the government declared 15-day-long holidays for all colleges at a time when many of them are yet to complete the syllabus.
With students taking an active role in the Telangana movement, the government issued GO No 856 declaring holidays for educational institutions from December 4 to 18 in the region.
“A number of private colleges in the Telangana region have to finish the academic syllabus by the end of December. Only 60 to 70 per cent of the syllabus has been completed and the 15-day holidays will affect the studies of students and the academic schedule,’’ says A Varada Reddy, principal of SR Junior College and honorary president of the Telangana Private Junior College Managements Association (TPJCMA).
As many as 1,000 private colleges are situated in the Telangana region while at least 6 lakh students are pursuing Intermediate education, first and second year, in the current academic year.
T Narender Reddy, correspondent of Pratibha Junior College and executive secretary of the association, demands that the government rescind its order.
“December and January months are very crucial to finishing the syllabus and the Board of Intermediate Education has already announced the schedule of the 2010 examinations, which will be held from February.
As per the board’s time-table, the practical examinations will be held from February 3 and the theory from March 3, 2010,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of private junior colleges have started giving special coaching to students for EAMCET and other nationallevel competitive tests.
“The declaration of holidays creates tension among the students, parents and college managements when hundreds of private junior colleges are running coaching centres for EAMCET, IIT and other national- level competitive tests,’’ says K Shashidhar Reddy, principal of Triveni Junior College and president of Private Junior Colleges Association.
He appeals to the government to rethink on its decision to close down all educational institutions in the Telangana region and warns that the college managements association will launch an agitation if the government does not heed their request.
K Venkateswara Reddy, who runs a private junior college, says the college management has decided, at the request of students, to keep the college open.
Student leaders are also opposed to the closure of educational institutions. “Intermediate and degree students will be hit hard by the closure of colleges. With Intermediate marks given weightage in EAMCET, students from Telangana will be at a disadvantage vis-vis other students (from Andhra),’’ Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee leader M Anil Kumar observes.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad too has criticised the government’s decision. “It is a ploy to suppress the Telangana movement, thinking that it will be difficult for us to mobilise students for our struggle,’’ says ABVP leader Kadiam Raju.
–Agencies