Kumarghat Teacher Training College grapples with infra shortcomings, staff shortage

Infrastructure deficiencies, hostel-related problems and an inadequate support staff continue to affect the functioning of the Government Teacher Training College at Kumarghat in Tripura's Unakoti district, with the institution's principal calling for urgent intervention to improve facilities.

Established in 2015, the Kumarghat Teacher Training College was set up to train future teachers. However, despite the passage of over a decade, the institution continues to face several infrastructural and administrative challenges.

Speaking about the current situation, Principal Dr. Nibas Chandra Shil acknowledged that the college requires better infrastructure and additional manpower to function efficiently. 

He said around 350 students are enrolled at the institution every year, while the college has 17 teaching faculty members. Although office staff are available, he noted that the existing workforce is insufficient to meet administrative requirements and called for more personnel.

The principal also highlighted issues affecting the boys' and girls' hostels. The boys' hostel can accommodate 80 to 100 students, while the girls' hostel has capacity for only 60 to 65 students. However, with the number of female students increasing, the existing accommodation has become inadequate.

According to Dr. Shil, hostel residents frequently face drinking water shortages during prolonged power outages or load-shedding, as the water supply is disrupted whenever electricity is unavailable.

He further admitted that the girls' hostel is facing a shortage of beds. Owing to rising demand, hostel authorities have been compelled to accommodate more students than the available infrastructure was designed for, forcing many boarders to adjust with limited space and facilities.

Another concern is the absence of a government-appointed hostel warden. Since the college's inception, no regular warden has been posted, leaving two women faculty members to manage hostel responsibilities in addition to their academic duties.

The principal urged the government to address these longstanding issues by expanding hostel facilities, improving infrastructure, appointing adequate non-teaching staff and creating permanent warden posts.