Nellore: In a rare gesture, the teaching staff of the well reputed Venkatagiri Raja's College in Nellore are providing degree and intermediate students from the lower economic groups a midday meal and books free of cost or a concession in the fees.
The move is meant to improve admissions and pass percentage and thereby revive the former glory of the institute, popularly known as V.R.College.
Established in 1920 under the aegis of Madras University, it has some prominent alumni from yesteryear and more recent times, such as Bezawada Gopal Reddy, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and present advisor to defence minister G. Sateesh Reddy and former Director of Shar R. K. Narayana, among others, but it started losing its sheen due to the privatization policy of the government in the early 1990s.
Student strength of the institution, which offers intermediate and degree courses, started declining. It was 2,000 in 2007; it was down to 1,300 by 2010-11 and around 1,000 by 2012-13.
The teaching staff, led by Principal C.V.S. Bhasker, therefore embar-ked on a mission to revitalise the college and protect it from the onslaught of private institutions.
Apart from the midday meal and other sops, the lecturers have been holding additional classes before the exams with an eye on the pass percentage.
Impressed by the efforts of the lecturers, the Nellore-based SVS Trust, which offers nutritious food for Rs 25 is supplying it for Rs 20 per head without any compromise on quality.
The teaching staff has been contributing 1 percent of their salary to the midday meal, fee concession and books every month.
According to college Principal Mr Bhasker, there has been a gradual increase in admissions and attendance after the midday meal programme was introduced in 2013.
