Andhra University has been sanctioned Rs. 20 crore by Centre under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which will be used for development of the university, according to Andhra University Vice-Chancellor G. Nageswara Rao.
Every department would have at least one e-classroom or e-learning centre with all connectivity and audio-visual aids on par with any other professional institute such as IIT or IIM, he told The Hindu on Wednesday.
The university would be submitting a detailed project report (DPR) to the State government for the sanction of first instalment of Rs. 5 crore under RUSA in a couple of days. “We will allocate Rs. 2 crore for upgrading the classrooms and the laboratories in the science and engineering departments,” he said.
Another Rs. 1.5 crore from the RUSA would be spent on installing at least one RO plant in each department for providing safe drinking water to the students and another Rs. 1 crore would be allocated for renovating and building more toilets on the university campus, especially in the hostels. Some funds would also be allocated to modernise the kitchen in the mess.
In a reversal of trend, the number of girl students in the hostels has exceeded the boys. And at present there were 2,200 girl students staying in three hostels, including the engineering block.
“We need at least one more 500-bed girl’s hostel. We are in the process of identifying the land on the campus and will allocate Rs. 2 crore to build the hostel by the next academic year,” said Prof. Nageswara Rao.
The new hostel would have a floor dedicated to an exclusive 24/7 reading room for the girl students.
Taking a tough stand on the joining dates of students, for the first time AU would cancel the seats of the students who do not join the classes within the first 20 days of reopening. And it would be applicable to both first and second year students.
The university reopened after summer holidays on July 1 and the students were given 20 days from the opening day to join and an additional 10 days as a grace period. If they do not join within the grace period their admissions would be cancelled, including the students from the second year, said the Vice-Chancellor.
Research issue
The 500-odd research scholars who were facing some problem due to procedural lapses, can now breathe easy, as the issue was resolved. The results that have been withheld would now be declared and those who have submitted their thesis would be processed, Prof. Nageswara Rao said.
Classrooms and labs in the science and engineering departments will be upgraded with
Rs. 2 crore.
G. Nageswara Rao
Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University
