Why to Shift College of Arts and Crafts, Patna University?

Move to shift PU College of Arts & Crafts to AKU opposed
PATNA: The reported move of the state HRD department to shift the College of Arts and Crafts from Patna University to Aryabhat Knowledge University (AKU) has stirred the hornet's nest on the college campus. Scholars of this premier institution, the only of its kind in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand, have launched an agitation against the government move.

College principal Atul Aditya Pandey said that sometime back some alumni of the college had submitted a memorandum to the HRD principal secretary demanding among other things the transfer of this college to AKU. The alumni had also demanded necessary steps for betterment of this institution. The HRD is reported to have initiated this transfer move only after receiving the said memorandum from the alumni.

HRD director Sitaram Singh said that the college students should not bother whether the college remains with PU or is attached with AKU. They should concentrate on their studies. The government is thinking seriously about improving the condition of this college by meeting its basic requirements of infrastructure and faculty.

He said that there is no harm if the college is transferred to AKU as this university has been created with the purpose of accommodating all the technical and professional institutions on the pattern of Indraprastha University, Delhi.

AKU vice-chancellor S N Guha said that he had heard about the transfer move, but no official move has yet been made in this direction. He said that AKU would welcome the induction of this college into its jurisdiction if any such proposal is received from PU. PU vice-chancellor Sudeepto Adhikari along with other officials visited the college recently and talked to the agitating students. They clarified that the university has not received any intimation from the government as such so far about shifting the College of Arts and Crafts to AKU.

It may be mentioned here that this college was started by renowned painter the late Radha Mohan Prasad in 1939 in a rented building on Govind Mitra Road here with first president Rajendra Prasad as a member of the governing body. It was taken over by the state government in 1949. Subsequently, it was made a constituent unit of PU in April 1977.

However, this college is facing a rough weather for the last few years owing to acute shortage of teachers. In fact, it does not have even a single fullfledged teacher as all the sanctioned posts are lying vacant. About six teachers are appointed for six months on an ad-hoc basis and even this adhoc arrangement is not regular.

Pandey has informed PU that a fresh panel of teachers may be prepared soon as the term of the present incumbents would expire on June 30.