Several thousands of students under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) took to the streets here on Friday protesting against the gloomy higher education scenario in the State and to press for a 12-point charter of demands.
The students held a rally from the Rashtra Bhasa Prachar Samiti at Unit-9 to lower PMG Square via the Ram Mandir and Master Canteen Squares. later, a public meeting was held at the lower PMG, where ABVP national secretary Shrihari Borikar was the chief speaker.
ABVP State organising secretary Tanmay Das alleged, “The higher education system has crumbled due to the lackadaisical attitude of the State Government and the elected representatives”.
The demands included filling of all vacant faculty posts, payment of full grant to colleges by removing the Block Grant system, prohibition of entry of politicians into university campuses during Students’ Union elections, increase in fellowships/scholarships to SC/ST students, notification of fee structure for all technical educations much before counselling, Central University status to one of the existing universities in the State.
later, a team of the ABVP went to the Secretariat and submitted a memorandum containing the 12 demands to the Chief Minister and the Higher Education Minister and Secretary.
Besides, a booklet Kalapharda illustrating the false commitments of the Government for the education sector was distributed, said ABVP State office secretary Manoj Roul.