HYDERABAD: More than 200 government junior colleges in the State may be closed down if the government decides to accept the recommendations of Prakasam District Educational Officer (DEO) who has sent a report to close down eight junior colleges citing ‘uneconomical' strength.

The DEO's recommendations are based on the government norms that colleges where admissions in Arts stream are less than 40 and less then 30 in science stream can be closed and students can be shifted to nearby colleges. The DEO has identified eight such colleges in the district, an official said. The DEO, who is also the in charge of Guntur district, has identified five colleges as uneconomical and the report is likely to be sent soon.

If the same yardstick is applied about 220 colleges and 500 sections will have to be closed down in the State. The government is now in a dilemma whether to accept the recommendations. If it plans to close these colleges it has to take a decision on such colleges in all parts of the State.

Move opposed

The Government Junior Lecturers Association (GJLA) has strongly opposed the move. GJLA president Madhusudhan Reddy argues that education cannot be looked from a commercial angle by the government. Most of such colleges are in backward areas. “This will drive away poor and rural students from higher education,” he said.

Teachers blame the government policies for the poor response. In most of these cases the government itself had given permission for establishment of private colleges thus giving scope for poor response to government colleges. In several cases three new private colleges were permitted in one kilometre radius where government colleges existed.

Meeting sought

The Government Colleges Contract Lecturers Association also opposed the move. Association general secretary K. Suresh wanted the government to call for a meeting of all teachers' organisations and elicit their opinions on improving the numbers. “We will launch an agitation if the government doesn't respond,” he said.

‘Skirting responsibility'

Senior academics view these developments as a step towards government skirting its responsibility in providing quality education to people. When the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) was recommending more universities to improve Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) the State was driving away students from Intermediate education itself, they remarked.