The Government Autonomous College in Rourkela. Telegraph picture

Rourkela, Dec. 25: The Government Autonomous College, one of the premier colleges of the state, is suffering from staff crunch.

Set up in 1961, the college has a student strength of over 3,500 pursuing various courses under both Plus Two and degree programmes.

An English honours student of the college said: “We have only one teacher, who is teaching both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.”

Similar is the case with sociology, economics, Odia, political science and physics departments. There is lack of teachers for the six self-financing courses in the college as well.

Of the total sanctioned strength of 53, the degree college has only 18 teachers, and some have been posted on ad hoc basis.

“We do not have teachers in the computer science department. Those, who come, are on temporary contract,” said a student.

The sanctioned teacher strength in the undergraduate computer science department is two. Similar is the condition with the postgraduate computer science course. The course was started in 2009, and till date, the college has not appointed any faculty for the department. There are 32 seats available, and the course is running on full strength.

Principal in-charge Pratibha Sahoo said: “The higher education department has been informed from time to time. So far, no step seems to have been taken.”

However, Sahoo said the condition at the Plus Two level was a little better. “Against the required strength of 25, we have 20 teachers teaching in various disciplines. In physics and chemistry departments, we are facing a little problem. We have only two teachers in these departments against the sanctioned strength of six.”

The college is unable to open a gymnasium as there is no permanent physical education teacher posted. However, equipment, costing over Rs 7 lakh, has been lying unused since 2010.

On November 28, students, led by students’ union president Rohit Mishra, had staged a protest, demanding infrastructure development.