Save our college, cry Hyderabad's Kamala Nehru Polytechnic College students

HYDERABAD: Amidst speculation that the almost 60-year-old Kamala Nehru Polytechnic College For Women at Nampally might be shut down, student unions, activists and teachers have expressed their anguish. The Exhibition Society of Telangana, which is the governing body of the college, has firmly denied any role in hastening its likely closure. Instead, it blames the State government for not providing any funds for the government-aided technical education courses that might eventually lead to the college’s shutdown. Meanwhile, student unions have threatened protests if the government does not intervene. 

Speaking to Express, students and teachers say the college has given opportunities to several women to join different courses at a subsidised fee. The closure of the college will deprive thousands from the weaker section of society of their basic right to education.

Is a lobby destroying the college?  
Blaming the Exhibition Society, child rights activist, B Varsha says, “There is an active lobby within the society to convert the Polytechnic College into a private engineering college, by scrapping the existing polytechnic courses and starting BE and BTech courses.” 

Exhibition Society’s plea for government funds 
Responding to the claims, the director of Exhibition Society of Telangana, Dr Gangadhar Rao says, “We have no intentions of scrapping any polytechnic course or even shutting the college. In fact, in the past few months, we have given multiple representations to the State Education Department to continue funds for the aided courses.” 

“There are a total of 84 vacancies in the college. However, at present, we have only nine teaching staff in place out of 56 teaching posts and a principal,” highlighted the college management. Rao added, “Last year, the Commissioner of Technical Education informed us that they are also going to stop minimal funding for the contract lecturers. However, we are forced to pay GHMC taxes and electricity bills for the government-aided technical college. Since then we have been trying to reach out to officials to restore the teaching staff so that we can continue the diploma courses.” ABVP Telangana State Technical Cell Convener, Thota Srinivas says they the body will lend support to the students stir.