Students of Government First Grade College, Kuvempunagar, study amidst uncertainty

Mysuru: Even as the academic year 2025-26 has begun, the long-awaited inauguration of the J.P. Nagar campus of the Government First Grade College (GFGC), Kuvempunagar, remains uncertain.

The GFGC in Kuvempunagar, established in 1996 with a modest number of students, now has a strength of 1,700. However, the existing infrastructure is unable to cope with the increasing student population, disrupting the academic environment.

The issue was first raised in 2018 when the then Krishnaraja MLA S.A. Ramdas brought the matter to the attention of the Higher Education Minister. Consequently, Rs. 4.10 crore was sanctioned for expansion.

A new campus was built at Site No. 233 (10 guntas of land) in Siddalingeshwara Layout, First Stage, J.P. Nagar, which includes nine classrooms, an office room, a Principal’s chamber and separate restrooms for boys and girls.

Additional funds

In the 2024-25 State Budget, an additional Rs. 3 crore was allocated to construct ten more classrooms. Sixty percent of the desks for these rooms have already been procured, but official permission to install them is pending, leaving students frustrated.

More than 500 students from Madapura, Hampapura, H.D. Kote Handpost and Sargur taluk have taken admission in the college.

The BA course offers optional subjects like History, Sociology, Kannada, Economics and Political Science. B.Sc streams include Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electronics, and Mathematics. B.Com and BBA courses offer Commerce and Apprenticeship Embedded Degree/ Diploma Programmes (AEDP), bringing the total student strength to 1,700.

According to the teaching staff, the college also attracts students from Periyapatna, Kollegal and even North Karnataka. Many of them, including a significant number of girls — around 40 percent of total admissions — stay in PG accommodations and hostels.

The new campus is fully equipped with nine toilets for boys, six for girls and a borewell for water supply. If the district authorities grant permission before the facilities fall into disrepair, the B.Com and BBA departments are expected to shift to the new campus immediately.

Wait since July 2024

The campus was initially scheduled to be inaugurated on July 31, 2024, by District in-Charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa. However, the event was postponed due to the unavailability of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. A second attempt to hold the ceremony on May 28, 2025, was similarly delayed.

Meanwhile, girl students have urged District Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa to allot six acres of Government land, under the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA), formerly MUDA, near the new campus to build a stadium and promote  sports activities.

Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa said, he will meet the Higher Education Minister and District Minister to request a firm date for the inauguration. “If that does not happen soon, we will pressure the Higher Education Department to shift the B.Com and BBA departments to the new campus without waiting for a formal ceremony,” he said.

Two proposals have been drafted for the development of the large expanse of Government land in front of the J.P. Nagar GFGC campus. One is to construct a stadium, as students have strongly demanded. The other is to develop the J.P. Nagar Bus Stand. A final decision will be taken in consultation with the Chief Minister at the highest level of Government. —T.S. Srivatsa, MLA