Govt college from DKS’s stronghold to be shifted to B’luru

Mysuru: In a major administrative decision that could lead to row, the state higher education department has shifted six government first grade colleges, including one from KPCC chief D K Shivakumar’s stronghold of Sathanur in Ramanagara district.
Besides, the government has also shifted three degree colleges from JD(S) stronghold of Hassan district. All the six degree colleges are shifted owing to poor student enrolment, the department stated. The colleges have less than 100 students each, it said.
According to the order, Sathanur College is shifted to Basavanagudi in Bengaluru city. This comes amidst BJP government’s denial of permission to organise a meeting for Shivakumar to take charge as the KPCC chief and the controversy surrounding shifting of a medical college from Ramanagara to Chikkaballapura recently.
Other colleges to be shifted are — Terakanambi Government First Grade College in Chamarajanagar district to Kudachi in Belagavi district; Government First Grade College, Arehalli in Hassan to Malleshwaram in Bengaluru; Government First Grade College in Hallimysuru, Holenarasipur, Hassan to Shantinagar in Bengaluru; Government First Grade College in Sakaleshapur, Hassan to Hebbal in Bengaluru and Government First Grade College in Hanur in Chamarajanagar district to Nippani in Belagavi.
As per the documents, department of collegiate education (DCE) has shifted six government first grade colleges in the last three years citing poor enrolment.
DCE commissioner P Pradeep said the decision to shift colleges was taken after considering two factors. “Colleges with poor strength for last three years and colleges in areas with a good number of educational institutions have been shifted to places where there is a demand. Under the current circumstances we can’t start new colleges. So for the better utilisation of resources, including manpower, this decision has been taken,” he said.
Ramanagar District Congress Committee (DCC) president S Gangadhar stated the move is nothing but political vendetta against the party leaders. “Sathanur is a rural area. Now just to target our leaders, the college granted to Sathanur is being shifted. Let the government start new colleges in those areas where there is a demand instead of shifting the existing colleges,” he said.
JD(S) state unit president, HK Kumaraswamy said he has raised the issue with deputy chief minister CN Ashwathnarayan, who holds higher education portfolio. “Sakaleshpur is a Malnad area and if the college is shifted to a city, it will create a lot of problems. The college has infrastructure worth Rs 4 crore. I have also got a hostel sanctioned. In such a scenario, shifting of the college is not a good idea. The government should change its stand,” he said.
According to sources, the decision is ill-timed. “A lot of money has been invested in college infrastructure— buildings, hostels and others in Mysuru region. Now, if the colleges are shifted, the infrastructure will become a wasteful expenditure,” said an officer.