Hubballi awaits upgrade of 3 high schools to PU colleges

Hubballi: The upgradation of three govt high schools into pre-university colleges in Dharwad district has remained only on paper, leaving students struggling to find alternative options nearby.The state govt had sanctioned PU colleges in Koliwad in Hubballi taluk, Devikoppa in Kalaghatagi taluk, and Veerapur in Dharwad taluk. The school development and monitoring committee (SDMC) had approved opening of these colleges and was waiting for further directives from the govt. However, those directives are yet to come through. The upgradation was planned to ensure that children from rural areas also had easy access to higher education. It is still not known why the upgrade is still stuck in the doldrums.Manjunath Dulikoppa, the SDMC president, told TOI approximately 450 students were studying at the govt high school in Devikoppa. The school has recorded a 98% pass rate in this year's SSLC exam. It is necessary to start a PU college in that area and this school was an apt choice for an upgrade. "If this delay continues, rural children will have to stay away from higher education. The district's pre-university education department and the govt need to take immediate action in this regard. Students are waiting for college admission as SSLC results are out already," Dulikoppa said. According to him, there is only one govt PU college in Kalaghatagi. Every year, student intake is increasing. If a PU college starts there, many village students will benefit from it. Students and parents concerned have urged their elected local representatives, including the district in-charge minister, to put pressure on the govt and get the college started immediately. SM Hudedamani, the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan deputy project coordinator at the DDPI office, told TOI: "Detailed information has been received from the respective SDMCs regarding the opening of PU colleges at three locations in the district, and a proposal has been submitted to the govt."