The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Colleges or concentration camps? City Pulse

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Monday, Aug 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Colleges or concentration camps? City Pulse

Swathi.V

‘Teams from colleges tour districts before S.S.C. examinations to lure parents’

- PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

Living hell?: Students in a college near Kukatpally.

HYDERABAD: Abhinav was bright in studies and exceptionally good at soccer while in a missionary school in the city. However, after matriculation, life offered him but a corner to breathe and survive. It was Abhinav’s decision to join Narayana Junior College in Hyderabad and stay away from home.

However, he could not stick to his decision for more than a month due to the deplorable conditions prevailing at the college hostel.

The boy later joined in Sri Chaitanya College at Ongole as day scholar. However, it proved to be a choice between devil and the deep sea.

“The boy leaves home at 7.30 a.m. and returns only after 10.30 p.m. We would not have the heart to ask him to study after that,” says his father. Every time he scores low in a subject, a phone call from the college would reprimand the parents.

The boy, however, got used to the daily grind. He no more plays soccer.

“He and his friends do not display originality. Give them any number of papers, they would mug up to reproduce mechanically. But if a question is twisted, they will remain speechless,” says his worried father who is a junior college lecturer.

This is the tale of many students staking their youthful vitality in corporate colleges for the sake of seats in EAMCET, IIT, AIEEE and what not.

With the ever-increasing demand for engineering courses, students in their teens become wishing wells for parents and corporate colleges, in the bargain losing their inner core.

“Most of these colleges tour the districts well before the S.S.C. examinations to attract parents. They conduct career workshops to lure parents who even go to the extent of taking loans to send their children to these colleges,” says Animesh, a student.

However, dreams come shattering or most of the students once they enter the hostel. Most of the college hostels are in rented buildings and woefully lack in basic amenities.

“I studied in Narayana College at Ashok Nagar. Rooms that could accommodate only three were stuffed with about seven or eight. Ours was a dormitory for ten but actually had 23. There were too few toilets. Water bought through tankers would suffice only a third of the inmates. Nobody would clean our rooms, nor would any plumber or scavenger ever visit the hostel. The conditions were sub-human. For second year, I shifted to Sri Chaitanya at Guntur which was not any better,” said B. Jagannatha Rao who is now in his third year of Engineering.

As if rubbing salt into wounds, students would be robbed of their freedom in the name of discipline. That they would not be given rooms adjacent to a balcony speaks loads about the “discipline” practised by the colleges.

Surveillance camera

A few colleges went to the extent of installing surveillance cameras. In some extreme cases, students would be shuffled across the rooms periodically so as to curb budding friendships.

Restrictions would be tougher for girl students, who will not be allowed to loiter about in the building.

No electronic goods, including cell phones, would be allowed inside the campus. Those pining for parents will have no option but to wait in long queues near the coin-box telephones.

Students begging the visitors for a moment on their mobile phones is a common sight.

Parents coming to visit their children are treated shabbily by the uncouth caretakers.

The less spoken about the study regimen, the better.

“We would be woken up by 4 a.m. by the matron. Those who wanted to sleep would forego bath. However, classes would begin strictly by 6 a.m. After the classes, we would have study hours extending up to 10.30 p.m. No hobby or reading outside the curriculum would be entertained. Even letters will be screened,” narrates Satyaki, an old student.

What passes off as study is nothing but learning by rote. Students would be required to reproduce in black and white what was taught in the class room.

Teachers with lesser qualifications employed as tutors would not be able to clear any doubts.

Discrimination

Discrimination against the “non-performing” students could amount to violation of human rights. Batches are divided into sections according to the test to be taken whether IIT, AIEEE or EAMCET. Even among these batches, sub-batches would branch off according to performance of the students.

Weekly tests will determine which student will be in which batch.

Those in the inferior sections will be branded as ‘IP’(Inter Pass) which means that they will be eliminated from all kinds of coaching. Instances junior lecturers beating up the students are many.

“Students, especially boys, are turning violent due to the authoritarian tendencies of the corporate colleges. We even had instances of students attacking the principals,” says Limba Reddy, a lecturer.

(Names changed on request)

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