Kochi: In its journey after becoming an autonomous college, the Maharaja’s College has got state government’s administrative sanction for constructing a new academic block while the special working group at the state level has also given the nod for setting up a library complex. The academic block is being set up at a cost of Rs 10 crore while the library complex is expected to come up at a cost of Rs 13 crore. The special working group consisting of state finance and high education department secretaries and director of collegiate education, among others, has given consent for the latter which will now proceed for administrative sanction which is only a formality.
Academic co-ordinator for Maharaja’s College Dr Liyaqat Ali told DC on Sunday that the proposals to avail the Rs 100 crore offered by Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac for the college are in the final stage. “The proposals of the language, science and social science wings are being consolidated after eliminating duplication in proposals from respective departments. The planning committee of the governing council will vet the proposals and the Detailed Project Report in this regard will be submitted before December 31. The works in this regard are proceeding on a war footing,” Dr Liyaqat Ali said.
Dr Ali said that the governing council of the college focuses on qualitative improvement in studies rather than quantitative improvement followed by self-financing autonomous colleges. “They focus on starting new SF courses which increases their revenue. Our focus is on qualitative improvement by strengthening existing departments which hugely benefits the students,” Dr Ali said. Dr Ali said that once the new academic block and library complex come into existence, the crammed university departments will get more space.
“The new academic block will host three departments which are likely to include English and political science. Its construction will start soon while the administrative sanction for the library complex is expected soon. Once the libraries in departments are shifted to the central library complex, both will get space enabling smooth conduct of both activities. Both language and science labs will be expanded,” he said. Governing council chairman Dr T V Francy said that the opposition to autonomy has subsided with the concept of it in Maharaja’s becoming clear to all. The college is implementing own syllabus from this academic year.
