Studying in Osmania University fifty years ago : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Studying in Osmania University fifty years ago

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

As student of Ricab Bazaar High School in Khammam, and, after passing out in Higher Second Class in the HSc (Higher Secondary Certificate) examination, I enrolled myself in the PUC (Pre University Course) with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as optional group subjects in SR and BGNR Government Arts and Science College in Khammam, affiliated to Osmania University then, during 1962-63 Academic Years. That was how I became a student of Osmania University for the first time. There were English, Telugu languages and General Studies subjects too in the curriculum. Having studied in Telugu medium till H Sc and then switching over to English medium at PUC level was a bit difficult task for which gradually we were accustomed. SR and BGNR College, under the private management, was the first college that was set up in Khammam as there were no Colleges in the Telangana region except in Hyderabad in 1956.  The then Chief Minister Late Boorgula Ramakrishna Rao decided to have atleast one college in every district resulting in one in Khammam too.

After entering the portals of a degree college in PUC, I felt elevated. Telugu, English, General Knowledge were taught to the entire Optional groups in combined sessions irrespective of MPC, BPC, Commerce, Economics and Geography. Physics and Chemistry subjects were taught commonly for both the MPC and BPC students. Mathematics was taught for only MPC students. English subject used to have poetry, prose and Grammar. We had very interesting essays in English prose, like, “On Seeing People Off,” On Forgetting”, “On Other People’s Jobs.” We were enthused by the poems of William Shakespeare and William Wordsworth. The lecturers who taught us practical classes for the science subjects were known as “Demonstrators” and they were a bit below the Lecturer in the status. I still remember the instruments like Pipette, Burette, and Common Balance which we used for practical sessions.

PUC results were out and as expected I secured just the Third Division thanks to the extracurricular activities mostly college politics in to which I was propelled by one of my cousins. Though I got fairly good marks in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry I could not secure required marks to get a seat in an Engineering College. Hence I took admission into BSc (MPC) in the same College.

In those days if anyone asked as to what a degree student was studying the answer invariably was that they were studying “first year” and add by saying “First Year Rest year!  As there was no public examination at the end of the first year degree, students used to take it very lightly the internal examination. First year degree students were automatically promoted to the second year. In second year there were university examinations for Languages and General Studies. There were six papers then. In the final year there used to be final examinations for the optional subjects.  There were ten papers to be cleared at a time including four in Physics, the extra being Modern Physics. There were no holidays in between two examinations except for Sunday. We had to memorize the three years study to appear for the final examination! Similarly, for Languages, we had to remember what we have studied for two years.

After completing my first year BSc, I wanted to do my second and final year degree in Hyderabad and hence made my trials. DV Dwaraka who was working as Mathematics professor in OU helped me in this.  New Science College Principal C Sudarshan admitted me in June 1964 in B Sc second year in Hyderabad. The College was established on July 17, 1956 by GS Melkote and Sudarshan under the banner the New Vidya Samithi.  The College, which was in Narayanguda, had many prominent lecturers as faculty members. Our class was always vibrant and full of activities.  Some construction work used to take place regularly for additional accommodation as the college was in high demand.

As far as the faculty was concerned it is no exaggeration to say that we had the best of teaching staff, which no other college had then. We had Andhra Mahabharata Upanyasalu as Telugu Text and Purushothammudu as non Detailed besides Halikudu as the drama text.  Out English Text was a compilation edited by EF Dad and it had one essay by AG Gardner. EM Foster’s “A passage to India” was our Non-detailed Text.  For mathematics, we were to study in three parts, Algebra, Trigonometry and Coordinate Geometry. Sahfi-ul Haq used to teach us Algebra, Bhaskar Rao Coordinate Geometry and Kuppuswamy Trigonometry.  Hari Laxmipathy and Prabhakar taught us Physics. We had Organic, Inorganic and Physical parts in Chemistry (Theory). Three different lecturers used to teach these three parts. I still remember the Benzene Ring drawn by Organic Chemistry lecturer Y Suraynarayana Murthy on the black board.  Inorganic was taught by Principal Sudarshan himself. I Think YSM taught us Physical Chemistry too.

While I was in Degree final year there was a clash between the Student union leaders over OU Vice Chancellor Prof DS Reddy. One group was lead by K Keshav Rao, former Congress leader and now TRS Rajya Sabha member and Former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy and the other group was lead by M Sridhar Reddy, Pulla Reddy Jansangh Narayana Das and other left wing student leaders. In 1966, the then Chief Minister K Brahmananda Reddy removed Prof DS Reddy who was VC of OU since 1957. In his place a Principal from a Guntur College was appointed. He came and could not take the charge as students were protesting. Keshava Rao and Jaipal Reddy supported the decision taken by Brahmananda Reddy. The only fault committed by Prof DS Reddy was to ask for autonomy for OU! Brahmananda Reddy tried bringing an Amendment to the Act to remove Prof DS Reddy who in turn approached the High Court and then Supreme Court and finally won the case. He continued as VC till 1969. In 1968 when Telangana agitation took birth he was the VC and later Prof Ravada Satyanarayana became the VC. When the Court ordered continuance of Prof DS Reddy as VC, the university had given grace marks to the students. Though I did not write the examinations, I got 15 Marks in all the subjects due to grace marks.

My degree final year examinations took place during March-April-May 1966. I wrote mathematics examination and thought would not get good marks. Hence, though, I attended the examinations I did not practically write any.  As expected I failed in all subjects except Maths.  I did not appear for the Supplementary exams and after two three attempts in March 1968 I have cleared Maths and Physics and cleared Chemistry in September. That was how my first phase of Hyderabad life ended.

After my BSc in Hyderabad I did my MA from Nagpur and later joined in job as a Librarian. For the professional degree I again joined OU Arts College during July-Aug. 1973 in Library Science Course. Our classes were held either in Arts College or in the Library building. It was a great experience. The final examinations were held in July 1974 and I got University Second rank in August when the results were declared.

That was how my association with OU started 52 years ago came to an end 42 years ago. I fondly remember those days in OU, the college campus, travelling to Arts College by bus, wonderful time spent with friends, student politics, playing Cricket…and there were many, many more memories that haunt me till date. What a wonderful time it was!