Bolangir: Tension escalated on the campus of Rajendra Autonomous College here Friday as Plus III and PG students irate over their results not being released burnt the effigy of the principal and lashed out at the vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University during a demonstration held before the district collectorate.
Protesting the inordinate delay in declaration of results, students Thursday staged a sit-in before the college’s administrative block Thursday and sought an explanation from the principal. They relented after the principal, on an assurance by Sambalpur varsity, assured the students that their results would be out by Friday 11.30 am.
Optimistic students started assembling on the campus Friday by 10 am. However, the resentment among them grew as there was no information on the results even after 11.30 am. They again sat on a dharna and shouted slogans against the vice-chancellor of the varsity. The principal as well as the VC is hardly concerned about the future of the students, they alleged.
The students also tried to barge into principal’s office when they had a faceoff with police personnel deployed there. Later, they went to the collectorate at about 2 pm and staged a demonstration. On being informed, additional district magistrate Laxmikant Pyarelal Pradhan came to the spot and spoke to the agitating students. He had a discussion with the additional secretary of education department and the matter would be resolved soon, the ADM assured.
On the issue, principal Madhusudan Pal said the SU authorities have held up results alleging the college has not deposited the affiliation fees since 1982. As such, there is no link between the declaration of exam results and deposit of fees, Pal said and added that this was not fair on their part. It is already too late, Pal said, adding that he has urged additional secretary Prashant Kumar Das of the higher education department to resolve the stalemate.
It may be noted that the college and SU authorities have locked horns over the affiliation deposit for the last couple of years. The principal had managed to smoothen things out last year by submitting an undertaking but the varsity officials stuck to their stance this year, a report said.
Meanwhile, the students of the college are a worried lot since the last date of enrolment in some important institutions is already over.
The protesters reportedly postponed their agitation for a day and returned home. PNN