HPU’s Dharamsala regional centre runs PG courses with one lecturer

A building was constructed in 1992 to run a law school in Dharamsala and accommodate 180 students. Imagine the same infrastructure is now catering to 1,200 students who are studying 13 graduate and postgraduate courses over the years. This is the state of affairs of the oldest regional centre of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Dharamsala, where one lecturer is running many postgraduate courses.

Guest lecturers being invited

• 34 regular lecturers to teach 1,200 students
• Just one regular lecturer for MA English and political science
• The shortage of staff is met by inviting guest lecturers to the institute.
• 1,200 students accommodated in a building built for law school
• A student at the regional centre, said that the institute was one of the oldest centres of Himachal Pradesh University meant to cater to the needs of students from Kangra and Chamba districts.

Sources say that postgraduate courses like MA (English), MA (political science) and MA (Sanskrit) are being offered in the regional centre with only one lecturer. There are two lecturers for MA (History), three for MA (Economics), two for MCom and five for the LLB course. There is a sanctioned strength of 42 teachers at the centre whereas, according to the UGC norms, there should be at least 60 teachers as per the strength of students in the institute. Interestingly, there are only 34 regular lecturers and the institute authorities make up for the shortage of staff by inviting guest lecturers.

Posts of lecturer will be filled: VC

The university is planning to fill some posts of lecturer at the centre. The matter about inadequate infrastructure in the centre has also been taken up with the state government. — Prof Sat Prakash Bansal, VC, HPU

Vinay Sharma, a student at the regional centre, says that the institute is one of the oldest centres of the HPU meant to cater to the needs of students from Kangra and Chamba districts. “It is sad that in more than 32 years of its existence, the government has failed to provide adequate infrastructure and staff to the centre,” he adds.

The sources say that the regional centre has 200 kanals which the HPU has not put to use to develop additional infrastructure. HPU Vice-Chancellor Sat Prakash Bansal says that the university is planning to fill some posts of lecturer at the centre. About inadequate infrastructure in the centre, he says that some part of the land of the institute has been used by the Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) for constructing a housing colony. “We have taken up the matter with the state government to provide alternative land to the regional centre in lieu of the land taken by HIMUDA. As soon as the state government makes land available, additional infrastructure will be built for the regional centre,” he adds.