Bhubaneswar: The Internet and social media platforms have been a boon for students, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling them to take admissions to new courses and keep up with their syllabi through distance learning.
However, the scenario is just the opposite in Odisha, where the apathy of the state-run universities and affiliated colleges has added to the miseries of the students. In the absence of social media-friendly colleges and universities, students are even unable to take admission to new classes, let alone pursue distance learning.
As a result, students from remote areas of the state who are seeking admission to undergraduate and post-graduate courses are being compelled to visit the cities for information relating to admissions and examinations braving the dangers posed by the pandemic.
“I wanted to be admitted to an LLB course at University Law College, Bhubaneswar, under Utkal University. As the college website still says that November 2 was the last date for submission of application form, I wanted information regarding the last date of form submission. Since neither the college phone was functioning nor its website provided updated information I had to come all the way to Bhubaneswar,” a student from Malkangiri told Orissa POST on the condition of anonymity.
He further said that the college also does not presence on any social media platform for information dissemination.
The state of affairs is similar in several other colleges and universities in the state. While private universities and colleges have strong social media presence, dedicated admission help desk and helpline, most state-run universities lack these facilities, leaving the students in far-flung areas in tender hooks.
Even the Utkal University, the premier varsity in the state, still does not have any presence social media. As a result, researches by their professors fail to attract the attention of their peers, students and others. Same is the fate of Ravenshaw University in Cuttack.
In the field of medical education, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, does have a strong presence in social media platforms, but the same cannot be said about SCB Medical College, VIMSAR and others. The government-run engineering colleges in the state also suffer from such a communication gap.
Even if some colleges and educational institutions have their websites, they are not regularly updated. Even the landlines of many colleges are lying defunct as there is none to take care of them. Going by the pathetic condition of the communication system of the educational institutions in the state, one can easily gauge the problems faced by the students.
Manish Kumar, OP