Government Degree College, Yellandu, Khammam
History
It is a matter of pride to say that Government Degree college is situated in Yellandu, a name associated with renowned Singareni Coalfields. Yellandu is colloquially called Boggutta which means coal heaps, as coal is abundantly.
At first coal was accidentally found in Yellandu in 1871. In those days it was the terminal station for the pilgrims going to Bhadrachalam, famous pilgrim centre. In the same year a group of devotees bound for Bhadrachalam to attend Sri Rama Navami festival got down at Yellandu station. They were cooking their food on what they thought a piece of stone making ‘Choola’ with three pieces. To their surprise, these pieces of stone were burning and no fire wood was needed for cooking their meals. As the pilgrims were not aware of the existence of coal, they reported the matter of stone burning to a Christian Padherey, who in turn reported the matter to the Government Department of Geological Survey of India (GSI). After receiving the information, Dr,William King ,a geologist of GSI carried out coal prospecting activities in this area.
In the year 1886, Royal British Empire established the Hyderabad Deccan Coal Company to tap the rich coal reserves. The British Company started coal rising by opening the first coal mine at Yellandu in the year 1889, after 3 years of its inception. Later the Nizam of Hyderabad bought this treasure from British in London Stock Exchange and named it Singareni as a token of gratitude to a village where the first discovery of coal took place. From then on wards, the Singareni of Yellandu is on the coal map of India and now the pride of the South.
Singareni is a part of Yellandu town. Yellandu is surrounded by beautiful forests and densely populated tribal environs, the Singareni Colleries Company Ltd., Madharam Steel Plant, and the local deity Kota Maisamma Temple.
Though located in a remote tribal area, Yellandu is connected to important towns and pilgrim centres in the district. Khammam, the district head quarters, is located at a distance of 45kms, Kothagudem is another town famous for coal deposits at a distance of 40kms, Palvancha, an industrial town at a distance of 50kms, and a famous pilgrim centre, Bhadrachalam an abode for Lord Sri Sitarama and Lakshmana at a distance of 80kms. It has bus and train facilities to all the important places.
Government Degree college of Yellandu was started on 04.10.1991, with relentless and untiring efforts of the College development Committee consisting of Sri.Gummadi Narsaiah, MLA, Yellandu constituency, Sri.Y.Vinay Kumar, Municipal Chairman, Sri.Ch.Rajamallu, Sri.P.Madhava Rao, Sri.K.Komaraiah Sri.D.Rajender,Sri.Sk.Asrat,Sri.K.Venkateswarlu and Sri.S.Venkateswarlu.
The aim of the institution is to provide qualitative higher education to the students of this region, particularly those who come from economically poor, rural, tribal and other oppressed classes of first generation. Keeping in view the above policies of the government of Andhra Pradesh and the guidelines given by the commissioner of Collegiate Education, Andhra Pradesh, from time to time, we train the students in Sciences, Arts and Commerce courses and also inculcate the social and cultural values.
In the beginning, the college was housed in Government Junior College campus from 04.10.1991 to 23.01.2003. With the efforts College Development Committee, especially Sri.Gummadi Narsaish, MLA, Yellandu constituency, a new building was constructed in the out skirts of the town with Rs.20lakhs in an area of nearly 10 acres protected by a compound wall. The then Minister for Roads and Buildings, Government of Andhra Pradesh Sri.Tummala Nageswara Rao, Sri.B.GopalKrishna Reddy, the then Hon’ble Minister for Small Scale Industries, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Sri.Chanda Lingaiah, the then Chairman, ZillaParishad, Khammam, Smt. Renuka Choudary, the then MP, Khammam constituency, Sri. Gummadi Narsaiah ,the then MLA, Yellandu constituency, Sri.Arvind Kumar IAS, the then District Collector, Khammam and Smt. B.A.Vijaya Kumari, the then Principal were among the dignitaries who attended the inaugural function.
The college was shifted to the new building on 24.01.2003. Since its inception eminent Principals headed this college.
The college is permanently affiliated to Kakatiya University, Warangal vide orders of KU No.450/CDC/KU/2008 dated 31.07.2008 and No.002/CDC/KU/2009 dated 03.01.2009.
The college was visited by Peer Team of National Assessment and Accreditation Council, Benguluru and declared that the college is accredited at the B level securing an institutional score of 71 as per the criteria of the NAAC.
As per GO RT No.846,Higher Education (CE-I-2) Department dated 29.08.2008, communicated vide proceedings of Commissioner of Collegiate Education, A.P., Hyderabad, vide Rc.No.439/Admn.I-1/2008 dated 04.09.2008, science sections MPC & BZC are sanctioned to this college and they are started from the academic year 2009-10.
The University Grants Commission ,New Delhi through their letter F.No.8-100/2006 (CPP-1) dated 26.04.2010 declared the college as fit of receive central assistance in terms of rules framed under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956. As such the college is covered under 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956.