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Osmania students protest against Telangana’s move to close varsities, hostels
The sudden closure of the university hostels and mess facilities left the students in the lurch. On Wednesday night, hundreds of students took out a protest demonstration at the NCC gate and women’s hostel, forcing the authorities to call for deployment of police personnel.
The decision of the Telangana government to close all educational institutions and hostels in the wake of the steady increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the state triggered protests from the students of Osmania University in Hyderabad.
A university spokesman said in a statement that the mess facility in the university would be closed with effect from Thursday afternoon and all the students have been asked to vacate their hostel rooms with immediate effect.
The university authorities also issued a circular stating that all examinations for all courses scheduled from Thursday had been postponed indefinitely. “The university will soon release a revised timetable,” the circular said.
The sudden closure of the university hostels and mess facilities left the students in the lurch. On Wednesday night, hundreds of students took out a protest demonstration at the NCC gate and women’s hostel, forcing the authorities to call for deployment of police personnel.
As the students blocked the main thoroughfare on the OU campus till the midnight, the police arrested the student union leaders including All India Students Federation state organising secretary RN Shankar, executive member Uday Kumar and OU students’ federation leader Sumer, Progressive Democratic Students Union leaders G Shyam and others.
The police shifted the arrested leaders to Nallakunta police station, before releasing them on Thursday morning.
“The students lost most part of the academic year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It has been not even three or four months since the hostels were open for students. Most of them are from rural areas, and have no access to online education. They are staying in hostels and are preparing for the University examinations as well as various competitive examinations. Where would they go suddenly, if they are asked to vacate the hostels?” AISF leader Shankar said.
The students’ union leader pleaded with the authorities to allow them to remain in the hostels, even if the mess facilities are closed, but the authorities said they have to follow the government rules.
The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE), too, announced postponement of all semester exams of various undergraduate and postgraduate courses under different universities across the state.
“We have postponed all degree and PG semester exams under all universities. A revised schedule will be announced soon by the universities concerned,” TSCHE Chairman Prof T Papi Reddy said.
The University of Hyderabad announced that the decision to allow the return of terminal semester PG students and research scholars (except the 2020 batch) to the campus was being put on hold until further notice.
