Suraj Ghimire, a third-year BSc student at Tri Chandra Campus (TCC) attends KIC Coaching Center in Bag Bazaar every day. Originally from Bardiya, Gulariya, Suraj wanted to take regular classes at the campus itself, but he was compelled to attend a private coaching because of the overcrowded classrooms in the campus.

He says, “All the classes are full of students. Despite accommodating more students than the actual seating capacity, hundreds of students still don’t get seats. They admit students without considering the capacity and don’t add classes to fit them all. So we have no option but to rely on coaching centers.”

Majority of students at TCC studying BSc in morning and day shifts are compelled to take the assistance of private coaching centers to complete their courses. According to the administration of the campus, there are about 4,000 undergraduate students studying Science in the morning shift. However, the campus has only been able to facilitate 18 classrooms with the seating capacity of 2,500. The remaining 1,500 students are compelled to attend coaching classes and only visit the campus to attend the practical classes. The 14 classrooms allotted for practical classes aren’t enough either, say the students.

“Practical classes are a mess because the number of students is much more compared to the classroom’s capacity. The students often need to struggle to get a space,” says Sushil Bharati, a BSc second-year student.

About 300 students fit themselves in a classroom with a capacity of 150. Administration Chief Juju Mohan Tamrakar says the campus is compelled to admit more students exceeding its facility due to the pressure from student unions. He explains, “We also haven’t allocated a certain number of seats for undergraduate students. That’s why we can’t reject a student’s admission application. If we do so, the students will come up with a protest rally.”

Despite the growing number of students, the campus hasn’t made any effort toward adding infrastructures, a new campus building for example. Tamrakar says nothing has come of TCC’s request to Tribhuvan University to allot budget for a new building. He opines that it would be a better idea to build a new building at a different location as the current campus site doesn’t have enough space left.

The students complain that it’s difficult to concentrate in the class due to the overcrowding and uncomfortable seating. If they’re slightly late to reach the campus, they get space only on the last bench and that if they’re lucky. “Taking proper notes from the whiteboard takes a lot of effort because we can’t see the whiteboard clearly from the last bench. We hardly hear the professor, too. So we have no option but take coaching classes,” says Srijana Neupane, a BSc third-year student. Another student Shova Regmi questions, “If the campus provided well managed classes, why would we go to the coaching centers?”

Once renowned as the educational pillar of the country, TCC’s standard has been depreciating because of political interferences, observes Ashok Bhattarai, a BSc first-year student.

“On the one hand, there aren’t enough classrooms and on the other, the classes aren’t conducted regularly,” he adds, “The programs organized by the sister organizations of different political parties in the campus premises interrupt the classes, so there’s no way we can make it through the exams without taking the coaching classes.” He claims that none of the student leaders has ever spoken about the lack of infrastructures in the campus.

“The teachers aren’t very helpful either. They don’t appreciate it if we ask them to re-explain things we’re confused about,” complains Mina Dumre, a BSc first-year student. Also the classes are normally noisy because of the large number of students, she says.

Assistant Campus Chief of Tri Chandra Campus, Dr Adhikari says that these problems have risen because of the disproportionate ratio between the students and the campus infrastructure. “The number of students is 10 times higher than the physical infrastructures can put up with. That’s the main reason why the studying environment in the campus is constantly on the decline,” he explains.

In a subject like Science, the right number of students per class would be 40, but it’s impossible to apply that in the campus without constructing the infrastructures first, Dr Adhikari explains, “We haven’t been able to complete the courses on time either. Overcrowded classes lead to constant disturbance.”

A total of 10 thousand undergraduate and postgraduate students are currently studying at Tri Chandra Campus in Humanities and Science faculties.

source: republica,1 april 2014