Shimla law varsity students up in arms; V-C shuts institute for a week

Students bemoan lack of facilities and violation of guidelines and on Wednesday staged a Satyagrah to press for their demands

More than 500 students are up in arms at Himachal Pradesh National Law University (NLU) in Ghandal, situated on the outskirts of Shimla. Students bemoan lack of facilities and violation of guidelines and on Wednesday staged a Satyagrah to press for their demands. For the last three days students have staged a peaceful demonstration at the NLU. Students have accused the university administration of callous behaviour and not taking appropriate actions regarding students’ demands.

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On Wednesday, students submitted a memorandum to the University administration. The latest protest of students comes six months after they had protested against maladministration, and demanded basic amenties such as safe drinking water, hygienic food and inhabitable hostel which is their basic right, as well as other benefits that a law school must provide such as moot courts, competitions, seminars, sports and a cultural fest.

Students alleged the university administration rejected the demands as ‘immature’. It also denied students grants of University Grants Commission (UGC), The Bar Council of India (BCI) and the state government. Students claim the university is reluctant to provide a detailed fee structure to students. Some expenses—sports fee, wifi fee, student bar council, campus development fund and moot court expenses—have not be justified as they were never provided to students in the last three years.

Students have claimed that “following inquiries made during previous protests, all such heads were merged into a single vague head namely ‘other facilities’, without further justification.”

Furthermore, due to the authorities’ negligence, students receiving scholarships from their respective states have been denied any such assistance, to which the official reply given by the administration was that “students with unsound financial backgrounds must refrain from taking admissions in expensive universities and should have opted for a traditional law university.”

“Instead of improving the situation the administration has been stalling our invocation. Previously, minor demands were fulfilled as appeasement, nonetheless, the story of blatant mismanaged autocracy continues. This time students have called for yet another peaceful protest by boycotting lectures and are demanding interaction with the chancellor (chief justice Himachal Pradesh high court),” said a student, requesting anonymity.

However, vice-chancellor Dr Nishtha Jaswal issued a notice to students to call off the strike or face strict actions.

In response to the strike, chancellor of the university issued a notice on Wednesday wherein it has mentioned that “the university and hostel will remain closed from September 18 to 25”. Students have been directed to vacate the campus with immediate effect for not calling off the protest. The university administration has also directed boarders to vacate the hostel by September 20 failing which strict action would be taken.

Despite the warning and notice issued by the vice-chancellor, students are standing firm on their ground and will continued protest.

The university was established by the state government in 2016 under Himachal Pradesh Act 16 of 2016 and started its functioning from October 2016.