Balasore, June 22: A group of students from KKS Women’s College here have submitted a memorandum to the district administration, drawing its attention to the 53-year-old college’s struggle to start degree classes in science and Plus Two commerce.

Alleging government apathy, the girls said Plus Two science students were facing difficulties in finding science seats in other government colleges. “Our demand for starting Plus Three science has not been fulfilled despite an assurance three years ago,” said Suvadra Das, a student.

The college has proposed to introduce science stream with 96 seats, including 32 for physics-chemistry-mathematics and 64 for chemistry-botany-zoology along with 128 commerce seats in Plus Two.

“If the government fails to fulfil our demands this year, we will lock the college gate and not allow any classes to be held,” said Alisa Nayak, another student.

College authorities, too, are at a loss to understand the shortcomings for which the college was not being allowed to start degree classes in science. They said the regional director of higher education had given his nod to the proposal following an inspection in 2010. Plus Three classes in sociology (16 seats) and IT (32 seats) were recently started.

“A suitability report had been sent to the higher education authorities but we still haven’t got permission,” said college lecturer Madhusudan Mishra. “In terms of infrastructure, we are equipped to start the new stream and new subjects. Several new rooms have been constructed, laboratories upgraded. However, we are awaiting a nod from the officials concerned,” he said.

The college received funds worth Rs 3.72 crore last year for construction of more buildings on the campus.

“But we fail to understand why we are not getting permission to start Plus Three in science stream,” said college principal Ramesh Chandra Das.

“In such a situation, the college is not only deprived of UGC grants but also autonomy since our Plus Three student strength is less than 500,” he said.