Ravenshaw Students Call Off Stir After Discussion With VC

Cuttack: The agitating students of Ravenshaw University here called off their strike after holding discussions with Vice Chancellor (VC) Ishan Kumar Patro on Thursday.

Following a staff council meeting, Patro told sine die will be lifted on Saturday evening, informed vice chancellor Ishan Kumar Patro soon after a staff council meeting.

Stating that there will be no change in the decision on vacating hostels by May 28, the VC assured that the pending examinations will be conducted soon.

Earlier in the day, Governor and Chancellor of State Universities Satya Pal Mallik had directed Ravenshaw University authorities to resolve the concerns raised by the agitating students through discussion.

The move came a day after members of All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) submitted a memorandum to the Governor, seeking withdrawal of sine die closure that was imposed on Tuesday following students unrest.

A group of students had also staged a dharna near the varsity campus over the issue. They had earlier expressed displeasure over the authorities decision to close the varsity sine die, stating that it was not a solution to any issue.

The decision for sine die closure came after hundreds of students of staged a mass demonstration on the campus and gheraoed the vice chancellor’s office, protesting against fee hike and other pressing issues, on Tuesday.

The students under the aegis of Ravenshaw Chhatra Kriyanusthan Committee were opposing the exorbitant hike in fee and the arbitrary decision taken by the university authorities to vacate the hostels by May 28 for carrying out renovation work.

They were also demanding immediate withdrawal of the decision to introduce compulsory meals for hostel inmates and re-introduction of previous instant examination system for final-year students.