Bhubaneswar, Feb. 18: Land crunch has hit the state government's ambitious plans to accord university status to Ramadevi Women's College.

The Utkal University authorities, as well as its students, have expressed their reluctance to part with the varsity land in the city.

The Union HRD ministry in January accepted the proposal of the state government to confer university status to the city-based Rama Devi Autonomous Women's College under the Rashtriya Uchhatar Siksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme, paving its way to become the first women's university in Odisha.

In accordance with the scheme, all women's colleges affiliated to Utkal University are supposed to come under the new women's university.

As per the UGC guidelines, all state universities must have a minimum of 100 acres of space to start functioning.

But, the Ramadevi Women's College is spread over an area of 28-acre. Due to this dilemma, the authorities stated that the varsity extension plan would be possible by taking space from the Utkal University or a government school situated close to the college.

Utkal University is spread over 440-acre of land. Similarly, the Ravenshaw University is set up in about 100-acre of land (old campus) in addition to the 150-acre of land in its second campus.

Authorities at the Utkal University today expressed their unwillingness to part with the varsity land. 'We have not yet received any official request from the department in this regard. However, even if we do, we will take up the matter with the department, as it will not be proper,' said Ashok Das, the vice-chancellor of Utkal University.

Utkal students too expressed their aversion to part away with campus land. 'Why should some other university function from inside the campus of our university? This will create confusion and dilute the quality of learning,' said Vikash, a student.

However, members of the students' union are excited since chief minister Naveen Patnaik will visit the campus tomorrow to attend the annual day celebration of the students' union and they preferred to remain quiet about the matter.

'We are associated with the development of the varsity and want to focus on that. Moreover, we are not acquainted with the issues relating to providing land. It would not be wise on our part to comment on the issue,' said Rajesh Raj Swain, the president of the students' union.

The Ramadevi authorities have left the matter to the state government. 'Whatever the state government decides, we will abide by it,' said Ramadevi principal Chitrangada Samantsinghar.