PARADIP: Shortage of staff and inadequate infrastructure have paralysed academic activities at Paradip College. This has led to resentment among students and their guardians.

Paradip College, established in 1975, has a total strength of 1,450 students, including 616 in plus-three and 834 in higher secondary level. Neither the State Government nor Paradip Port Trust (PPT) seems keen to develop the institution where academics have taken a back seat owing to shortage of faculty. Though the students have been demanding to fill up the vacant posts of teaching and non-teaching staff along with construction of hostels for boys and girls, nothing has yet been done in this regard.

The students alleged that the college building has suffered extensive damage owing to contact with saline water from the sea. Besides, the institution has no girls’ hostel and the 50-bed boys’ hostel lies in a dilapidated condition. The PPT had set aside `65 lakh from its CSR fund to undertake repairs in the college. The funds were assigned to a Government of India enterprise RITES two years back. However, tender for the work is yet to be floated. Besides, shortage of staff remains a pertinent issue at the institution.

Sources said two posts are lying vacant in English and History departments while one post is vacant in Botany department. The IT department of the college does not have any faculty. The situation is similar in case of non-teaching staff. The then college principal Surendra Mohan Mishra in October this year had conducted interviews to fill up the vacant positions and the file comprising the names of selected teaching and non-teaching staff were sent to Paradip MLA and chairman of the governing body Damodar Rout. However, the legislator is yet to approve the names.

Sources said the in-charge principal of the college, S Kanungo, does not have the authority to sanction funds for development of the institution. It is alleged that differences between teaching staff and students’ union, rift in students’ union based on allegiance to Rout and his arch-rival Bishnu Das have affected development projects in the college. Meanwhile, Kanungo admitted that the college has been suffering due to various issues which have remained unaddressed.