Students shout slogans on the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya campus in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 28: Students of the government-run Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya staged a demonstration on the campus today alleging lack of regular faculty and other basic facilities at the institute.

“There are five regular lecturers. So, most of our classes are managed by 10 guest lecturers, who come to college at will. But, even that is not enough for the 370 students in Plus Two and Plus Three. We want the guest lecturers to be made permanent and the assistant lecturers to be promoted as lecturers, so that our studies are not affected,” said Arpita Nanda, a Plus Three student of drama.

“There are not enough musical instruments which are necessary for practical classes. My ancillary subject is radio play (radio drama) but till now, we have not seen any radio equipment in the college,” she said.

The students also alleged that they were not allowed to attend the cultural programmes, held at the Utkal Mandap (on the same campus, adjacent to the college building) and demanded only classical programmes be organised there.

One of them said girls were not allowed to participate in the off-campus cultural events despite getting permission from guardians.

“The hostel superintendent has told us that we would not be allowed to enter the hostel after dusk and must find an alternative accommodation if we go out to perform. We are students of performing arts and it is ridiculous that we are not given permission to take part in programmes where we could get noticed,” said Kanak Lata Behera, a final year student of Odissi vocal.

While the boys complained about space crunch in their hostel, the girl students said their hostel was three kilometres from the college and they faced numerous difficulties in returning back at night after attending their monthly cultural event, Sangeetayan.

“The cycle stand has been converted into a boys’ hostel which has just seven rooms, each accommodating about eight to 10 students,” said Kusha Sahoo, another Odissi vocal student.

Principal Nabin Kumar Parida said the appointment and regularisation of lecturers was the responsibility of the Orissa Public Service Commission.

“I told the students it was not possible on my part to make the guest faculty permanent. But, other allegations about inadequate instruments and equipment are not true,” Parida said, adding two out of seven regular lecturers had been placed under suspension by the government for the past three years owing to certain charges brought forth by the students in 2008.