AN College in Patna. Picture by Deepak Kumar

AN College is once again on the path of academic excellence. From being in the news for the wrong reasons to getting accredited with Grade ‘A’ by National Assessment and Accreditation Council, it has been quite an uphill task for the college administration. AN College principal Haridwar Singh shares with Roshan Kumar some of the future plans of the institute — like tie-ups with a number of foreign universities — and some causes of concern

‘It’s time to move ahead’

AN College was known for all the wrong reasons in the past, but now things have started to change. How did the change happen?

I don’t know about the past. But now AN College is moving towards a new direction. The college is considered as one of the top educational institutions in Bihar and Jharkhand and it has become a centre of attraction. The change has come because of the sincere and dedicated efforts of the teachers, students and employees of the college.

‘NAAC grade a matter of pride’

Your institute is one of the few colleges to have National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Grade ‘A’ certificate in Bihar, while many colleges under Patna University do not have any accreditation.

AN College was re-accredited with NAAC Grade ‘A’ in December last year and it is the second college in Patna (after Patna Women’s College) to get the rating. The NAAC grade will help the college get development funds from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for its infrastructure and academic development. A three-member UGC team, headed by A.N. Roy, vice-chancellor, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, visited the college last year for the review. They visited various departments and assessed the infrastructure facilities. The NAAC team members were impressed with the faculty members even as most colleges in Bihar are facing a shortage of staff. The college has 93 permanent faculty members, while there are 28 ad-hoc members. Ninety-five per cent of teachers in our college have PhD degrees.

Pacts with foreign varsities

What are your plans for the future?

We are running several programmes and courses with tie-ups with foreign universities. The environment science department of our college is planning to have a tie -up with University of Peradeniya, Kandy, Sri Lanka, for study of fluorosis. There is a high content of fluorosis in the water of Bihar. Sri Lanka, too, faces the same problem. The environment department of AN College, along with Peradeniya University, will jointly work in study of fluorosis. They will submit a report on the basis of the findings. A team from AN College visited Sri Lanka in July last year.

Besides, the department of environment and water management is planning to have a tie-up with University of Northampton (UK) for a joint study on solid waste management. The problem of solid waste is assuming serious dimension in small cities because there is no mechanism for disposal of solid waste there. The department of environment and water management will work on ways of disposal of solid waste. The college is planning to have exchange of resource materials with partner universities. The college, at present, has a tie-up with the European Commission for exchange of research materials with foreign universities.

Placement scenario

What about providing better facilities to students?

Our college has become the first non-technical institute to have a Wi-fi campus in the state capital. Anyone on the college campus can now have access to Internet. For fast Internet connectivity, the administration has installed five access points in various parts of the college. The laboratories in our college have also been updated.

As the college runs a large number of vocational courses, we have our placement cell as well. Several BCA, BBA and MCA students have been hired by multinational companies such as Cipla, Wipro, Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI and HDFC.

Does functioning of the college with its headquarters in Bodhgaya hamper work?

Definitely. For colleges affiliated to Magadh University (MU) and functioning from Patna, we have a branch office in the state capital. But the students and the teachers have no option but to go to Bodhgaya for work. The students have to travel all the way to that town to get their certificates, marksheets and other work. If the colleges functioning from Patna under MU get a separate university, it would help a lot. Recently, education minister P.K. Shahi said colleges functioning in Patna under MU would have a separate university. We welcome the decision.

The rural-urban divide factor

It is being said that rural students with lots of marks get admission to colleges in Patna, while the urban students who fail to get admission have to move to other universities for pursing higher studies.

Our first aim is to provide education to students. We are not bothered from where the students come. As the admission process is on the basis of results, students with better marks get a preference.

Korean language study prospects

What's the status of the Korean Language Centre that was opened a few years ago?

The centre was opened in our university in 2007 following the efforts of Korean Centre for International Cooperation. As the centre runs a certificate course, students passing out of the institute go to Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University for higher studies.

What would you have been if not an academician?

I would have joined administrative service.

About Haridwar Singh

Singh has worked as principals of various colleges for 24 years. Born in 1949 to a farmer’s family at Tankupa block in Gaya, he did his matriculation from a village school. He graduated from Gaya College in 1969 and did his masters in political science in 1971. Singh joined Anugarh Memorial College as a lecturer in 1972. He got the Education Lifetime Achiever Award for Excellence in the field of Education from Global Society for Health and Educational Growth, New Delhi, in 2007. He received the International Gold Star Award and Certificate of Excellence from India International Friendship Society in Bangkok for his contribution to academics and administration.

‘Resolve rows amicably’

Doesn’t students’ agitation affect academics?

Yes, agitation by students’ union affects academic activities. In the past few months, the students have been staging protests and agitation for holding election to the students’ union. They have staged dharnas and hunger strikes. But the college administration has no role in holding students’ union poll as the final decision has to be taken by the university administration. We cannot use force against the agitators as they are our students. But it would be good if the problems are resolved amicably.