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Reformer Kandukuri’s educational institutions in a state of neglect
The educational institutions established by well-known social reformer Sri KandukuriVeeresalingam Panthulu, in this historical city years ago is suffering due to financial crunch as well as shortage of faculty. Veeresalingam Panthulu donated of his lands worth crores of rupees and buildings for development of education.
Rajamahendravaram: The educational institutions established by well-known social reformer Sri KandukuriVeeresalingam Panthulu, in this historical city years ago is suffering due to financial crunch as well as shortage of faculty. Veeresalingam Panthulu donated of his lands worth crores of rupees and buildings for development of education.
But, to what extent Hitakarini Samajam(HS) working under Endowments department has succeeded in fulfilling the wishes of the great personality is a big question. The management is not able to introduce new courses in accordance with the interests of students due to lack of funds.
Veeresalingam Panthuluestablished Hitakarini Samajam (HS) in December 1906 and first started SKVT high school in the year 1911 which later was upgraded as a juniorcollege.In due course, a convent, English medium high school, degree college and a college for women came into existence. At present 4,000 to 5,000 students are studying in the educational institutions.
Among these, the Sri Kandukuri Veeresalingam Theistic Junior College (SKVTJC), which was an ideal educational institute earlier, is today an epitome of neglect. Shortage of faculty, funds crunch and lack of basic facilities, competition fromprivate colleges and reimbursement facility of scholarships to them etc., are the reasons for the downfall of junior college.
Moreover, the government is collecting an amount of Rs 18,000 from the college for new courses on par with private colleges. The playground is also filled with bushes and in a state of neglect. This year as many as 120 students joined in first year intermediate course and 140 are studying in second year. This college was once a boon to poor and middle-class students in East and West Godavari districts.
According to junior college principal, K Raja,only three aided faculty and six part-time lecturers are working in the college as against the required 11 aided faculty. The management is paying salaries to part-time faculty from the fees collected fromthe students. The government fixed an annual fee of Rs 2,500 for Science courses and Rs 2,300 for commerce courses. The college is offering MPC, HEC and CEC courses only.The strength of students came down from 1,000 in 2003 to 620 students in 2006-2007 and for the year 2017-2018, the admissions are 120.
Dr PBV Sanjeeva Rao a researcher on Kandukuri Veeresalingam Panthulu, underlined the need to bring the past glory to the junior college, by strengthening its financial base, introduce new courses and fill the vacant faculty posts. Veeresalingam Panthulu sacrificed his life for the upliftment of women, promoting education and also to eradicate superstitions in the society.
By SS Chary
