Monday, April 29, 2013
After a meeting between a high-powered committee and students of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) failed to end the impasse on Saturday, around 500 students have pledged to discontinue studies at the institute if their demands are not met.
Students, who are protesting for the past one month, are demanding better infrastructure at the institute and resignation of officiating director KK Bhutani. The sacking of an assistant professor had triggered the protests last month.
When asked whether the institute is going to accept the students' decision or not, Bhutani refused to comment.
In a press release issued on Sunday, students said they were extremely dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting. The tone and tenor of the committee members was highly discouraging and they constantly pressured students to drop the demand of the director's resignation, it added.
Students said they are still firm on their primary demand of the director's resignation. They alleged that when they saw that the committee was not ready to heed to their primary demand, students decided to block the main gate of the institute when the committee members were leaving after the marathon meeting.
Students alleged that the committee did not provide any solution to their problems and did not give any written assurance on solving their problems in future.
Though students have called off their hunger strike, they have decided to continue with their strike from Monday.
506 NIPER students write leaving notice
CHANDIGARH: Conveying their dissatisfaction with the administration of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, in a meeting with the board of governors, 506 students decided to leave the institute, on Saturday. A written statement was handed over to the officials on Sunday. "The tone adopted by the committee members was highly discouraging and they constantly pressurized us to drop the demand of director's resignation," said Prajwal, a NIPER student.
The students blocked the main gate of the campus and delayed the departure of the members of the committee. "The committee did not provide any solution to the problems or even a written assurance," said another student Seema. Though the students have called off their hunger strike, they would continue to protest from Monday. They have been reiterating resignation of the officiating director K K Bhutani. "The director puts his officiating position as an excuse every time we ask for placements and raise other critical issues. We do not want a director who cannot exercise his powers for our welfare," rued the students.
The agitation has entered its 13th day and no classes have been held since it began. "We have been trying to enter into a dialogue with the students but, they are not willing to listen. They are stuck upon director's resignation," said a senior official at the NIPER.
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