Gurgaon: At Pataudi Govt College, the timetable does not always decide when classes end. A wedding or engagement on the ground floor can do that.While guests gather for celebrations below, students try to concentrate on lessons upstairs in the same community centre. On some days, the noise and bustle leave the college with little choice but to wind up classes by noon or 1pm.For students who leave school expecting a campus, a cafeteria and space to call their own, college life here has meant making do with six classrooms on the first floor of a building that doubles as a venue for public functions. Pataudi is one of three govt colleges in Gurgaon without a permanent campus of its own. A college in Rithoj operates from a govt school, while the one in Manesar functions from a polytechnic institute.Established by the higher education department in 2022 as Pataudi’s 10th govt college, the institution offers BA and BCom courses. Its six classrooms are supplemented by three rooms earmarked for a library and staff. But the ground floor is used for weddings, engagements and other gatherings, making the college’s academic routine vulnerable to events over which it has little control.Although most functions are held at night, daytime rituals often disrupt classes. Students fear this wedding season will bring more such interruptions.The inconvenience does not end when the noise stops. With no cafeteria or designated common room, students often eat lunch on the balcony, sometimes sitting on the floor. There is little room for indoor sports either.“We have classrooms, but there is no proper place to sit, interact or spend time between lectures. Even lunch means finding a spot on the balcony. Sports activities are limited because there is neither enough space nor the facilities. A college should offer more than just lessons. It should give students a chance to enjoy campus life, too,” a student said.The co-ed college has 385 students, including 130 fresh admissions this academic session, against a sanctioned intake of 220 — 140 in BA and 80 in BCom. Yet, its teaching strength is far below requirement. There are just five teachers against 17 posts. Two teach geography, while history and political science have one teacher each. Four Class IV employees are in place, but there is no dedicated sanitation worker.A permanent campus has been proposed in Sector 1 of Pataudi at an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore. But construction cannot begin until the building map is approved.College in-charge Usha Yadav said her colleagues were doing their best within the available resources. “Despite the infrastructure limitations, classes are being held and students are receiving academic support. The college has opened up opportunities for young people in Pataudi and nearby areas to pursue higher education locally. Once the permanent building is ready, they will have a more suitable academic environment,” she added.At Rithoj Govt College, the compromise has taken a different form. Operating from a govt school since 2018, it offers BA and BCom courses and has a sanctioned capacity of 660 seats. Only 381 students are enrolled across the three years, leaving 279 seats vacant. Students said they have been demanding a building with adequate classrooms, a well-equipped library and common areas for interaction and extracurricular activities.College in-charge Manisha said, “The process for a new building is almost complete. Once it is ready, the college will shift there and students will have a dedicated campus. Until then, classes will continue from the existing premises.”Gurgaon has 10 govt colleges, three of which lack their own buildings. Manesar Govt College operates from a polytechnic institute, an arrangement different from the shared community centre at Pataudi and school premises at Rithoj.
