Plea to give university status to 127-year-old Gajapati college

BERHAMPUR: People of Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district and several academicians have urged the state government to accord university status to the 127-year-old SKCG Autonomous College. The demand has intensified after the government accorded university status to Dharanidhar Autonomous College, Keonjhar, and Vikram Deb Autonomous College, Jeypore in Koraput, recently.
“SKCG Autonomous College, Paralakhemundi with a historical background of over 125 years deserves to get university status. Moreover, the college is situated in a backward region and one of the aspirational districts,” said Jayant Kumar Mohapatra, former vice-chancellor, Berhampur University. He has tweeted to chief minister Naveen Patnaik urging him to seriously consider university status for the college.
“The college is named after Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati, who made an immense contribution for the formation of a separate Odisha. If the college is given university status, it will accord respect to the great leader,” said Purna Chandra Mohapatra, a historian.
“SKCG Autonomous College is the third oldest college in the state, after Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, and Khallikote College, Berhampur. While these two colleges have already been upgraded into universities, the third oldest college is yet to get the varsity status,” said DK Padhy, a resident of Paralakhemundi.
The government has approved the opening of six UG courses and two post graduate subjects in SKCG college from the 2023-24 session.