Lamka, January 21: Ever since its inception forty-two years back, Churachandpur College has produced an excellent number of erudite personality including top ranking civil servants of the country.

However of late, the persistent apathy of the State Government towards this pioneer institution has degraded to such an extent that it is now only a shadow of its previous self.

The only thing commendable about the College today is that more than 1300 students are enrolled in its fifteen Departments.

Except for History and Political Science Depts.

the other Depts has been suffering from shortage of lecturers, as the number of lecturers is well below the figure prescribed by UGC.

The Departments of Anthropology, Botany, Physics, Statistics and Zoology have been enduring shortage of two lecturers each while Mathematics and a couple of Depts that require practical calsses such as Geography and Chemistry need three more lecturers each.

Education and English (that needs additional lecturers for Alternative English) both a favourite of the tribal populace hav a dearth of four each.

Except for two, most of the Departments were on the verge of collapse threatening the very existence of the institution.

Adding to the precarious situation was the presence of a dozen part-time lecturers who according to sources lack seriousness.

In 1996 the students fraternity here for the first time raise their objection against the attitude of the Government and made their rightful arguments to provide adequate lecturers, infrastructure, laboratory equipment and funds.

A decade down the lineset aside the other facilities, even the crucial lecturers have been dwindling by the years.

Despite the battery of agitation that disrupted the district's normal life and the authrity's subsequent promises after promises, nothing positive was done to revive the premier College of the district.

The most recent event that testified Government's apathy was the dishonoured agreement signed between Okram Ibobi led Government and Churachandpur District Students' Union on September 9, last year.

As per the agreement the Government pledged to make up the shortage of staff in the two colleges of Churachandpur within a month but after another series of agitation a month later, the students were rewarded with seven part-time lecturers, only to be retracted clandestinely barely before the publication of election notification.

Unless the Government swiftly alter its attitude towards this esteemed college, any number of students may flock the premises in their uniforms with enthusiasm, but their fates will ever remain as uncertain as is now.

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