Student protesters vandalise buses, damage property in Noida

Students of the Footwear Design and Development Institute in Noida staged a violent protest on Thursday afternoon demanding validation of their degrees

Students of the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) in Noida staged a violent protest on Thursday afternoon demanding validation of their degrees.

Students of the Footwear Design and Development Institute in Noida staged a violent protest on Thursday afternoon demanding validation of their degrees. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

The agitators vandalised the institute’s office, turned turtle two college buses and shattered the windscreens of cars parked in the campus. Police personnel from three police stations – Phase 3, Sector 24 and Sector 58 – rushed to the spot to control the situation. The students also vandalised the garden, broke flower pots, put up posters saying ‘fake’ on the institute’s buses and shouted slogans against its administration.

Senior police officers intervened and a meeting of representatives of students and college administration was called, following which the protest was called off.

“In 2015, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had cancelled the institute’s affiliation with Mewar University. Since then, we don’t have any affiliation and hence our degrees are not valid. We pay a fee of Rs 81,000 per semester (six months) for a piece of paper that is not valid,” said Anmol Kumar, an FDDI student.

The college administration said they are fighting a case against the UGC’s decision in the Delhi high court and will soon come out with a solution.

“We have asked the students not to take part in such acts and never take the law in their hands. The institute’s administration also assured a quick redressal of their issues. The matter is resolved now,” said Anup Singh, deputy superintendent of police (DSP), circle 2, Noida.

The institute’s administration said they are fighting a case against the UGC’s decision in the Delhi high court and will come out with a solution soon.

“We have assured students about safeguarding their future. We will not allow their degrees to be wasted. The matter is in court and their degrees will be validated,” said Sandeep Bhatia, deputy general manager, training, FDDI.

No FIR had been registered against the students till late evening.