In 2012, the government opened an arts and science college in Tiruvottiyur to enhance access to higher education in neglected areas of north Chennai. Sadly, the college continues to function temporarily in a corporation school.
The Tiruvottiyur Government College of Arts and Science on Poonthottam Road pales in comparison to a multi-storeyed private school, run by a corporate, located opposite.
When the college was opened in 2012, it was proposed to house the college “temporarily” in the corporation school premises until a new place could be identified.
Even after completion of four years, the college is functioning from the temporary premises with the students of the corporation school shifted elsewhere. And the college offers no basic science courses in spite of an announcement in this regard at the time of inauguration.
While the college premises suffers from space constraints with professors having to juggle their classes in the few available classrooms, the student strength has been growing year after year.
At present, the college offers under graduate courses, including Commerce and Computer Application and Foundation course in English and Tamil. This academic year, the total number of students stands at 342 against 251 last year. The strength was 218 in 2012-13 when the college started and 221 in 2013-14. Students and teachers complain about lack of rudimentary facilities.
While the Principal refused to comment, Tiruvottiyur MLA K. Kuppan said the government had identified land for the college near CPCL in Manali but the proposal was dropped because of pollution and access issues.
“At present it has been decided to construct the college in the school premises itself,” he said adding that efforts were being taken by the Thiruvallur Collector for constructing the college building. The school had been selected as it was centrally located with easy access to mass public transport, he said.
Social activists in the area hope that the new arts and science college recently opened in Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s R.K. Nagar constituency, which also functions from a corporation middle school, would not suffer the same fate.
The college pales in comparison to a multi-storeyed private school located opposite
