Cuttack, Dec. 8: Shailabala Women's College has earned the distinction of having a dedicated hostel for physically challenged students, the first of its kind in the state.
The 100-seat hostel, which was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.45 crore, was inaugurated by higher education minister Pradip Panigrahy here today. The new accommodation takes Shailabala's hostels to six where over 1,000 students can be accommodated.
"We are happy that a new hostel, especially for physically challenged students, has been opened. This will help new students taking admission here from the next academic session," said Lipsa Swain, a student of the college.
Panigrahy also inaugurated three other projects, including an ATM kiosk, a solar panel for uninterrupted power supply and rain harvesting project, on the campus.
The inaugurations of students' oriented projects come barely a week before a three-member team from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (Naac) visits the campus to assess its infrastructure on December 15. The women's college was earlier awarded an A grade during the first assessment by Naac in 2006.
"The state government has not neglected the demand of university status for the college. Rather, our focus is purely on ensuring that the college first gets its autonomous tag," said Panigrahy.
The school and college were subsequently shifted to a new locality in 1917.
The intermediate women's college was raised to the status of a first grade degree college in 1946 and Shailabala Das donated the residential building of her father for the women's college in 1952.
Sources said a team from UGC would arrive after the Naac team to inspect the validity of its demand for autonomous tag.
The higher education minister said the recruitments for 227 teaching posts for 272 junior colleges had been completed. But he admitted there were problems in recruitment of teachers to fill up vacancies in degree colleges.
"Because of legal complications, we have not been able to fill up the vacancies. We are constantly discussing the issue with the auditor general and once all 352 teaching posts are filled, the shortage of teachers would be resolved to a great extent," Panigrahy added.
Official sources said the state government had also begun the process to recruit 302 non-teaching staff members, including librarians, laboratory assistants to help the authorities manage day-to-day affairs at their respective colleges.
Shailabala Women's College principal Sanjukta Mohapatra said many steps had been taken to improve infrastructure and education at the institute.
"A solar panel has been installed at a cost of Rs 10 lakh to provide uninterrupted power supply to the administrative building, while steps will be taken to cover the entire campus in subsequent phases," said Mohapatra.
