Once renowned Carmichael College now a decaying institution

RANGPUR, Dec 31: The 83rd founding day of Rangpur Carmichael College passed silently recently. No programmes were chalked out to mark the day.

Rangpur Carmichael College, the higher seat of education was established in 1916. Lord Tomas David Barron Carmichael, the then governor of undivided Bengal laid the foundation stone of the college. As a result the long felt demand of the people of this region was fulfilled.

Surrounded by charming natural beauty, the college was constructed on a vast area of around 300 acres of land at Lalbagh, three miles away from Rangpur town. The lands and the huge cost of its construction, roughly several crores of taka were met by the donations of the then Maharajas, Zamindars, philanthropists of the region and the district administration.

Its skilled works with high architectural constructions of the palatial college building have long been attracting the visitors from home and abroad since its inception.

In 1917, Calcutta University affiliated the college and allowed to open IA and BA classes. During the construction works of the college building, classes of the college were held temporarily at Rangpur Zila Parishad Bhaban. However, in 1918 when construction work of the main building was completed, the classes started in the main college building.

A colourful inaugural function was arranged at the campus marking the ceremonial opening of its main building on February 11 in 1918. Sir Ronald, Governor of the then undivided Bengal inaugurated it as the chief guest.

A large gathering marked the opening ceremony.

In the 1922-25, ISc and BSc classes in were started in phases in the college. During the pre-partition days, the name and fame of the college spread across the sub-continent.

Large number of students from various parts of eastern India including Assam, Jalpaiguri, Bihar, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bogra and other places of the undivided Bengal came here for college education.

The college was under Calcutta University till Indo-Pak partition in 1947. After the partition, it came under Dhaka University, while in 1953 it came under Rajshahi University and in 1992 the college came under National University.

The college was nationalised on January 1 in 1963. Now the college has honours courses in 14 subjects - English, Bengali Literature, Economies, Political Science, Philosophy, General History, Islamic History, Chemistry, Mathematics, Accountancy, Management, Botani, Zoology and Physics. In 2000 honours courses in five more subjects are expected to be opened. The subjects are - Social Science, Statistics, Geography, Psychology and Islamic Studies.

At present the college has a total number of roll strength of around 15,000. But it is most shocking that this reputed college is miserably lacking require educational implements and a necessary amenities hampering the education of students.

The college has 25 class rooms against the requirement of 50. These class rooms have no fans. During the summer season, sufferings of the students turn worst due to heat and congestion, alleged students.

Shortage of teaching staff is a persisting problem from a long time. Now 135 teachers are serving in the college, out of 182 sanctioned posts. Class III and class IV employees and MLSS are also inadequate. Many posts of employees are lying vacant.

The transport problem is very acute in the college. Only four buses with a total sitting capacity of around 150 are operating at present.

The accommodation problems is much acute in the college hostels. Six hostels - four male and two female hostels with 900 beds are quite inadequate for thousands of accommodation seekers. Problem of female boarders is the worst. There are three to four times boarders who are residing in an ever congested manner in two hostels. The hosted has only 359 beds. Doubling and flooring are common phenomenon here. Moreover, the female hostels have no boundary walls. They have the risk of safety. They can not sleep peacefully at night fearing attacks of miscreants at any moment.

There are at least 200 private messes scattered around the college. Female students, finding no other alternatives, pay abnormally high rents and reside there. Rooms of the messes are very congested and sanitation system is unhealthy.

The teaching and other staffers are facing similar residential problems. The existing residences across the campus are mostly dilapidated and congested. Many staffers reside outside the campus in rented houses amid sufferings.

Toilets are inadequate to meet the demand of students. Female students are the worst sufferers as there are no separate toilets for them on the campus. Furthermore, these toilets remain always unclean. There is no water and electricity supply in these toilets.

The health centre on the campus has no doctors and medicines. The college canteens have poor stocks of foods. Common rooms of both males and females are hopelessly ill-equipped, depriving recreational facilities.

The collage library has now roughly about 70,000 books. But due to lack of proper preservation and maintenance, many valuable books have been either damaged or on the verge of damage. Many students alleged, essential books of new writers are not available in the library. Moreover, the spaces inside the library is very narrow and as such only 20 to 30 students, at a time, can hardly be accommodated here. There is acute shortage of library staffers.

The college has vast barren lands. Vast tracts of lands have been leased out to the private parties for cultivation of seasonal crops. The college authority is annually earning about Taka 1,50,000 by leasing these lands, a spokesman of the college told this with a request of not to quote his name.

At least 35 bighas of college owned land equal to about 12 acres worth Taka 10 crores were grabbed by a section of local influential persons. The college authorities had informed the matter to the district administration repeatedly, but none responded to it, alleged college authorities.

Frequent disturbance across the campus are adversely hampering congenial atmosphere in the campus. According to an estimate, during 1997 classes in the college were held for only 77 days. This happened due to students' strikes, suspension of classes for holding different examinations, since there were no excess class rooms.

There is no elected Chhatra Sangsad in the college. The validity of the Sangsad expired in 1992. Since then no election of the Sangsad was held. An amount of taka 42 lakh which was sanctioned for the Sangsad is yet to be utilised.

Taking opportunity of non-existence of elected Chhatra Sangsad, the pro-Jamat Chhatra Shibir has been controlling the campus. They kept two male hostels out of four under their control. They have also established at least 20 messes around the college campus where Shibir cadres are being sheltered.

A section of vested interest are now active in cutting the trees across the campus, but there is non to resist their misdeeds.

The college has stopped admission in the Higher Secondary Classes from this session. This has resulted in a great problems for the meritorious students who find no good college for admission.

Braving all odds, the college was selected as the best college in Rajshahi division twice in 1989 and 1994. In 1993 it was rewarded for afforestation.

Meanwhile, the natural beauty of the college have been hampering due to construction of the grilled fencing around the office of the principal. A spokesman said that the college authorities were compelled to protect the principal office by iron grilled fencing fearing frequent attacks by unruly students.

Apart from these, there is long cherished demands among the people of all walks of life for establishment of an university at the college campus. But the popular demand is yet to be fulfilled causing people's frustration.