A strict Kolhan University is set to crack a whip on its constituent and affiliated colleges that have failed to take some prescribed hi-tech measures for development of infrastructure and providing an improved academic to the students.

Only six out of 28 colleges have honoured the university’s fiat that had asked them last year to install Wi-Fi on campuses, introduce video-conferencing facilities and launch websites by utilising their development funds. The biometric system for maintaining attendance, which has been made compulsory by governor Syed Ahmed, also the chancellor of state universities, is yet to make a debut at any of the constituent colleges.

“Some affiliated private colleges have installed Wi-Fi on the campus, but the constituent ones have a long way to go. None of them has either introduced Wi-Fi or the biometric attendance record. Hence, we have decided to send letters to them, seeking to know what they have done to improve existing infrastructure,” said Salil Kumar Roy, vice chancellor of Kolhan University.

Last July, the varsity had issued a notice, asking all 28 affiliated and constituent colleges to launch own websites within a month to facilitate communication with the university headquarters in Chaibasa. All relevant details, like RTI rules, dates of examinations, last dates of form submissions, availability of prospectus et al were supposed to be uploaded on the websites.

The main purpose was to make the college staff tech-savvy and connect them with the varsity headquarters, particularly those located far away. The university has also agreed to provide a grant of maximum Rs 50,000 maximum for the job if the colleges needed financial assistance.

However, only a few colleges — Jamshedpur Women’s College, Karim City College, NSIBM, RVS College of Engineering and Technology, Awadh Dental College and MGM Medical College —toed the line and floated websites besides upgrading the campuses with Wi-Fi. Two constituent colleges — Graduate School College for Women and Jamshedpur Worker’s College — are taking steps to tread the tech path.

“Work is on. I think it will take a fortnight to wrap up everything. We are yet to install the biometric system, which will happen soon after the ongoing work is over,” said D.P. Shukla, principal, Jamshedpur Women’s College.

Tata College, Chaibasa, is planning to upgrade its infrastructure with Rs 25 lakh that has been provided by the department of science and technology to set up a computer system for educating tribal youths in technology. This grant is meant for colleges in backward areas.

But principals of colleges, especially those in remote areas, appeared clueless. Some were not even aware of the directive.

“We don’t know how to go about it. We are already facing staff crunch and it will be very difficult to manage so many things together,” said a principal on condition of anonymity.