GURUGRAM: Here, students huddle together on the ground, pavements and makeshift classrooms , poring over their books and trying to make a sense of lessons. As cold waves swept the city, many of them were forced to sit on the floor, without rugs.Cramped space and overlapping voices of lecturers hamper teaching. This is the reality at the Government Girls’ College in Sector 14 The college has 7,200 students. Of them, around 3,500 girls are forced to sit outside while 2,200 are studying in makeshift sheds. Only 1,500 students are fortunate enough to study in proper classrooms.Every year, around 40 new seats are added to the existing strength of the college. A college staffer, who didn’t wish to reveal his identity, told TOI: “Science and commerce students sit inside the building. Arts students don’t need a blackboard, and are made to sit outside.” According to him, the higher education department increases the strength of students every year owing to undue political pressure.“In 2018, no new seat was added, but before that at least 40 seats were increased every year. We receive notice from the higher authorities, stating we will have to increase the strength. The college doesn’t have adequate infrastructure and teaching staff,” he added.The college authorities, in a bid to tackle the problem of space, are building a new science block with eight classrooms last year. Professor Sushila Sharma, principal, told TOI that the college sought one more block with eight classrooms.“For the construction of new buildings, we will have to seek approval from the higher authorities. It’s not in my hands. By the end of this academic session, we will have a new block,” Sharma said, adding she had already written to the higher education department on this.Students claimed they were being made to sit outside in the cold. “We attend classes outside the college building and are made to sit on the ground. We have to bear with windy weather. Students are sitting on the floor without any rug. When it rains, our classes end,” said Shikha Raghav, a BA final-year student.Also, students attending classes in makeshift classrooms don’t even have blackboards. On January 2, the students wrote to principal, seeking better infrastructure and other facilities, but they have not received a reply from the college authorities so far. “There are 3,500 students in the arts stream, yet there is no proper building or block available for us. Most classes take place in open areas in the campus. Chilly weather conditions add to our hardships. We want the college authorities and the principal to intervene and take steps to boost the basic amenities of the college,” stated the letter.

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