CUTTACK: The proposal to shift Ravenshaw Junior College to a location elsewhere from its present sprawling campus would definitely take away the lustre attached to this prestigious college of the State, feel meritorious matriculates who are aspiring to study Plus II in the prestigious college. Most of the class X meritorious students from BSE, CBSE and ICSE who are queuing up to purchase admission forms are of the opinion that they would feel `let down' if the college is relocated at a new campus.

Ever since the autonomous college got the status of Unitary University last year, the State government is thinking in terms of shifting the junior college to a new location.

First it was proposed to relocate the college at nearby Jobra but it did not materialise and the allotted land was taken over by Cuttack civic body. Now the State government is thinking of swapping the Radhanath Training College of Education with Ravenshaw junior college.

The shifting is necessitated to satisfy a norm of UGC that says no other educational institution would be allowed to run inside the campus of Unitary University, says registrar of the varsity Satyakam Mishra.

Central assistance

UGC team is visiting the campus next week to assess the proposal to declare the university fit for receiving central assistance under Section 12-B of UGC Act-1956. "Continuance of the junior college inside the campus could invite trouble and the university may be deprived of the central assistance," feels Mr. Mishra.

Whatever be the outcome, the Ravenshaw junior college is sure to lose out to some other government colleges located in the vicinity if at all it is detached from the prestigious institution.

Students interested in studying Plus II science in the college say they would be deprived of well-equipped laboratories, library and the guidance form under graduate and postgraduate faculties, if the college were relocated.

Grand ambience

"It's not only the faculty members alone but the majestic buildings, sprawling campus, past glory and an academic ambience attract students to this important college," say the aspirants. "If the college is shifted to a new campus we would feel cheated," says a student from Jagatsinghpur district who after securing above 92 percentage of marks in the HSC examination wants to study in Ravenshaw.

Similar feelings are also expressed by most of the students who are interested in studying science stream at Plus II level.

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