The Hindu     31.07.2012

BBMP proposes five degree colleges, BU approves four

 The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ambitious plans of establishing five new degree colleges. However, there is a dampener as Bangalore University has approved of only four of them. According to BBMP sources, these colleges were proposed to be set up in Cleveland Town, Mathikere, Dispensary Road, Magadi Road and Byraveshwara Nagar. The civic authority has a degree college at Kasturba Nagar that offers arts and commerce courses.

The sources said that these colleges would function only from the next academic year. “We wanted to start this year itself. However, permission from the university and the government was delayed,” they added. The BBMP had been confident that Bangalore University would approve it as there is demand for seats in its pre-university colleges. “The next logical step would be to start degree colleges,” the sources added.

Bangalore University Registrar B.C. Mylarappa said the university’s Local Inquiry Committee (LIC) had inspected the five colleges. “It, however, cleared only four. The BBMP has proposed to offer BA, B.Com, BCA and BBM in the new colleges,” he said.

Conceding the delay, Prof. Mylarappa said: “The LICs were actually supposed to submit their reports by March 31 to the State government. Due to the delay, the reports were sent only recently. The BBMP may be able to start the colleges from the next academic year.”

BBMP sources said that the civic authority would be able to start the colleges only after the government issues a gazette notification. “We hope to outsource teachers for the colleges, but can do so only after the gazette notification is published,” they added.

University sources said that the delay was mainly because the new guidelines for LICs were prepared late by a special committee.