Bhubaneswar, April 28: The state government has issued closure notices on five Sanskrit colleges in Puri based on certain shortcomings pointed out by a special inspection team.

While some of them lack sufficient infrastructure, others do not even exist at the locations stated as their permanent addresses. The five colleges are the Shreema Jagulai Adarsha Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Biswanath Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Ananta Basudev Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Atibadi Jagannath Das Smruti Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya and Sashiprava Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya.

“We had asked the five colleges to explain by April 22 why their recognition should not be cancelled, but did not get satisfactory responses. So, we have ordered them to stop admissions for 2013-14,” said a senior official of the higher education department.

The colleges had mentioned that they had been functioning for over six years and offered subjects such as sahitya, vyakarana, darshan, English, Odia, history, political science and education with an intake of 125 students in Plus Two and 96 students in Plus Three. The inspection team — made up of members of the higher education department, the regional directorate of education and vice-chancellor of the Shree Jagannath Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Puri — had been formed earlier this month. Its job was to inspect those Sanskrit colleges that had completed seven years of existence and recommend for their recognition for the coming academic session.

This apart, the team had been asked to visit other colleges that had applied for temporary and permanent recognition and submit a report regarding their infrastructure, land, furniture and the governing bodies concerned.

There are 217 Sanskrit colleges in the state of which only 47 have got permanent affiliation and 95 have received government recognition. The remaining colleges run on temporary permission from the government, which has to be renewed every year. However, most colleges continue to operate despite being denied permission for affiliation from the universities.

“We have been trying to put a stop to these fake colleges by refusing them grant of affiliation, but each time they come to us with a high court order, leaving us with no option,” said the vice-chancellor of the Puri-based Sanskrit varsity Neelakantha Pati. There are 142 colleges under the university. Of them, 32 are running with orders from Orissa High Court. Sanskrit colleges teach the same subjects like a regular college along with some extra, specialised subjects. “Their certificates carry the same value and recognition as those from any other college,” added Pati.