5 UP districts have no government college; Ayodhya college runs with 3 contract teachers

NEW DELHI: During the ongoing budget session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly, higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyaya informed the UP Vidhan Sabha that Government Women's College in Paraswan village of Ayodhya, a constituent college of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, is running with only three contractual teachers. A total of 59 students are enrolled, spread across the college’s eight programmes.

Meanwhile, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), tabled in the UP assembly on February 22, stated that no state university or college was among the top 100 higher educational institutions (HEIs) in India. The audit covered the period 2014-19 and was carried out during the year 2019-20.

The report stated that five districts did not have any government degree college, while five others did not have a men’s or co-educational government degree college. A total of 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh did not have either a government or non-government aided girls’ college.

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UP college enrollment, employability

The gross enrollment ratio (GER) of the state during 2019-20 was 25.30%, lower than the all-India average of 27.10%. To achieve a GER of 40%, the state must provide colleges in underserved districts, the CAG recommended.

For detailed examination, the CAG selected two state government-run universities – Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith Varanasi (MGKVP) and University of Lucknow (UoL) along with 10 colleges affiliated to these universities. During 2014-20, the average percentage of programmes with focus on employability in MGKVP and Lucknow University was only 21% and 10% respectively, the CAG report found. The report has recommended that there should be “timely revision of curriculum” and courses should have “focus on employability”.

As against the prescribed ratio of 20:1, the student-teacher ratio (STR) of government colleges in UP during 2019-20 was 49:1. The STR in arts, commerce and science streams in MGKVP during 2019-20 was 54:1, 52:1 and 53:1 respectively. During the same period STR of UoL in arts, commerce and science streams was 18:1, 39:1, 12:1 respectively.

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MGKVP, Lucknow University result delays

The delay in Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith result declaration during 2014-20 ranged up to 273 days (except in 2018-19); Lucknow University result could be delayed by 175 days during 2017-20, the CAG report found.

According to UGC regulations, fees to be charged from each student should be approved by the affiliating university. However, CAG found that both Lucknow University and Kashi Vidyapith did not approve fees structure for their affiliated private colleges and the state did not have any specific policy for opening of universities and colleges.

“In order to make higher education affordable the State Government and the Universities may regulate the fee structure of private colleges,” CAG has recommended.