Former Kendrapara Autonomous College administrators and professors have urged the state government to transform the 64-year-old college into a university. After the government granted university status to Dharanidhar College in Keonjhar and Vikram Deb Autonomous College in Jeypore, there was a demand for the college to be upgraded.
"We hope the government will look into our demand," said former principal Nandakishore Parida. Retired lecturer Tapan Pati said the college has the required infrastructure for its upgradation into a university. "The University Grants Commission (UGC) has suggested limiting the affiliation strength of a university to a maximum of 100 colleges. Kendrapara Autonomous College was granted an 'A' grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) five years back. Research activities can be taken up once the college is upgraded into a university," he said, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
Ramachandra Behera, another former principal, claimed that it is frequently difficult for students from rural areas to enrol in universities in large cities. "If the government upgrades Kendrapara Autonomous College into a university, it will fulfil the aspirations of several students from rural areas," he said. Last year, the state government had given its nod to start post-graduate courses in Economics, Political Science, Commerce and Physics in the college as reported by The New Indian Express.
