A resident of Visakhapatnam writes about Andhra University Admissions Centre

Andhra University, not just makes to the list of the oldest Educational Institutions in our country but also crowned as the first University to provide a residential and teaching-cum-affiliating ecosystem. The University in Vizag is a tree, which provided branches of students, who are now leading their ways in development. But, is the University, considered one of the oldest, losing its principles of development?

Dr. Gayathri Rao, a resident of Visakhapatnam, writes to Yo! Vizag, mentioning about the arrangements at Centre of Admissions of Andhra University, Vijayanagara Palace( Swami Gnananda House), on 10 June 2018.

She says, “For past few years, every Vice-Chancellor who occupies this hallowed chair at Andhra University focuses on self-advertisement rather than promoting academics that Andhra University was once very well known for.

The oldest university in Andhra Pradesh has dwindled to nothingness, just a reservoir for garbage both academically as well as physically.

I do not wish to focus on the topic of academics and research at Andhra University which, in my opinion, needs to be audited in detail.

It is a facade when there are many MOUs etc signed by numerous foreign institutes of learning. These are just for news and publicity.

Academics have become secondary in Andhra University, therefore at least the entire AU campus both North and South can be maintained in a clean, plastic/garbage free state.

I am given to understand that  Andhra University has an adequate fund to support the numerous ( erring and not audited) Class Four employees. Some serious supervision needs to be done to ensure the campus is kept free of pollutants.

The Vijayanagaram Palace, where the counseling for new admissions takes place, has a huge hall, where young students could be seated. Instead, they are made to wait outside under a temporary shamiyana in this heat of summer. The toilets are totally disgusting and entire surroundings is filled with litter and garbage.

This is the first impression, young students get at Andhra University?

Swami Gnanananda was a re-known nuclear scientist after who the Nuclear Physics department of Andhra University is named. The house in which he lived in, is adjacent to the Vijayanagaram Palace. Now, the house is a dumping yard for garbage from the surrounding residents. I have on numerous occasions requested the VCs on the chair to take action. Thus far, I wait in hope.

The question I ask is, why does Andhra University spend money on building unsightly new structures when there are more than enough beautiful old structures, which just need to be maintained well?

Andhra University campus is large, well endowed and all that one needs to do is keep it clean. Is this asking for too much?”

Views expressed here are solely of the author but not Yo! Vizag’s.