Chennai: Students from the Govt Arts and Science College at R K Nagar are unable to use the toilets at the institution as the taps do not have running water. Many colleges, including Dr Ambedkar Govt Arts College in Vyasarpadi, Rajeswari Vedachalam Govt Arts College at Chengalpet and Govt Arts and Science College in Perumbakkam, also lack clean toilets. The water purifiers installed recently were also dysfunctional due to lack of maintenance in most govt colleges.At a time when the state govt has decided to introduce four-year UG degrees, the existing students still fight for basic amenities. The 181 govt arts and science colleges in the state have more than 7,000 vacancies, and the recruitment of 2,700 assistant professors is moving at a snail’s pace. This has resulted in a decline in student admissions, as 35,171 of 1,29,831 seats remain vacant this year.“In our college, drinking water is the major issue. We have arranged for water cans. Due to the absence of sanitary workers, we are cleaning the classrooms once a week,” Yasmeen, a student from a city govt college said.Presidency College, which ranked among the top 20 colleges in the country, has poor lab facilities for science students. “There are not enough chemicals available for experiments, and the equipment is also outdated,” said Muthukaruppan, a student from the college.“There is no proper maintenance of toilets at govt colleges. The sanitation work is outsourced and the workers get only ₹6,500 salary after deductions. That’s why there is no one to clean the toilets,” said S Suresh, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Govt Collegiate Teachers’ Association (TNGCTA).He urged the state govt to enhance the salary of sanitary workers and allot separate funds to maintain water dispensers in colleges.When asked, an official from the higher education department said toilet and drinking-water-related issues will be given priority.
