Students of Deogarh College block national highway. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Aug. 8: Life in Deogarh came to a standstill today with a bandh call given by Deoghar College students today demanding more teachers.

The students picketed in front of several offices and blocked the national highway. Banks, court and other offices were closed in the city.

“The college has been facing acute staff shortage and this had affected teaching. We have been demanding before the authorities to take necessary steps and fill up the vacancies. For the last four days, the college has been closed. Several organisations such as, the bar association, citizens’ committee and merchants’ association of Deogarh have extended their supports to our agitation,” said Mitesh Sahu, a student of Deogarh college.

“There are only 16 lecturers in our college against the sanctioned strength of 48 posts. On July 26, we had apprised the collector of the problem. We had given them seven days time to resolve the matter. But the administration has done nothing during the stipulated period,” said another student of the college.

“There is only one lecturer in chemistry for both Plus Two and Plus Three classes. Similarly, there is only one lecturer in zoology for students of both Plus Two and Plus Three classes. The college does not have a mathematics lecturer,” said the student.

Surya Kumar Mishra, president of the Deogarh Bar Association, said: “This is the oldest college in Deogarh district. Though Deogarh was declared a separate district, the government has done nothing for the college. The government should immediately respond to the demand of the students. Staff shortage has paralysed the institution.”

C.R. Dash, principal of Deogarh College, said: “We have communicated the matter to the director of higher education. The authorities will deploy lecturers from nearby colleges. However, this will be a temporary arrangement. There are more than 800 students in the college and we are functioning with 16 lecturers. Moreover, laboratory assistant posts are also lying vacant.”