College of Arts and Crafts, Patna

Patna, June 24: College of Arts and Crafts, the only art college under the Patna University, will remain with the university, vice-chancellor Sudipto Adhikari has said.

The order has come as reprieve for many students who were apprehensive about their future in case the affiliation of the college was changed.

A section of art lovers in the state had demanded that the art college be transferred to Aryabhatta Knowledge University (AKU) from Patna University.

College of Arts and Crafts principal Atul Aditya Pandey said: “There have been demands from few art lovers of the state and some alumni of the college that the college should be transferred to AKU as Patna University is not paying enough attention to it.”

However, there was a fear among students that if the college is transferred to AKU, they might have to face fresh problems.

Since AKU has not taken proper shape yet, the students were apprehensive about getting proper degrees.

Manoranjan, a student of College of Arts and Crafts, said: “Students were confused as they would have had to face problem in getting their degree and other facilities as the university (AKU) is still to take final shape.”

“Two years have passed but AKU is still functioning from a rented building at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies. No appointment of teachers or officials has been made yet,” Manoranjan added.

Other students pointed out that the shifting of College of Arts and Crafts to AKU would further increase the problems of the college as it is already suffering from an acute shortage of employees.

Pandey said there was a lot of confusion on the issue and on Tuesday a meeting of the university administration and the college authorities was held on the college premises. The meeting was attended by vice-chancellor Adhikari, principals of colleges under Patna University and other college authorities.

Adhikari ruled out the possibility of shifting the college to AKU, claiming that the university has not received any letter from the state human resource development (HRD) department in this direction.

HRD department principal secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said during his janata darbar today said that the decision to shift College of Arts and Craft from Patna University would be taken only after there is consensus with the Patna University administration. He said: “The HRD department will have a meeting with the PU administration and art lovers and thereafter a decision will be taken.”

The principal of the art college, meanwhile, said: “The admission to the five-year integrated course has already begun and on Friday the college is going to conduct the entrance test for the admission.”

He told The Telegraph the college has received 130 applications for 60 seats and an admission test would be conducted to select the students. The test would comprise an aptitude and skill test.