SHILLONG, Sep 22: The members of the NEHU unit of the Khasi Students’ Union on Thursday locked the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Prabha Shankar Shukla in the administrative block following the failure of the university authority to meet their demands.
This resulted in an argument between the KSU members and the vice-chancellor, who resented being prevented from entering his office chamber.
The KSU’s demands include addressing issues such as the shortage of faculty members, the lack of transportation for students, healthcare and the poor maintenance of hostels.
It gave a week’s deadline for fulfilling its demands.
NEHU’s KSU unit general secretary, Shibaitlang Rymbai told reporters that they are unhappy with the failure of the university in filling up vacancies, which has badly affected the academic pursuits of the students.
He said the students have been able to attend only a few classes owing to the absence of teachers.
Rymbai said the university has started the process of appointing guest faculties but the pace has been very slow.
“It is almost two months since the new semester began. The students are facing a huge problem,” he said.
He said the hostels are in a bad condition and students from far-flung areas are facing innumerable problems staying there.
“The maintenance of the hostels is going at a sluggish rate. We want the university authority to take steps to see that the repair work is completed at the earliest,” Rymbai said.
Pointing out that there are very few busses to ferry the students, he said these are often too crowded for availing. “We demand the introduction of more buses to ferry the students of the university,” he said.
Rymbai picked holes in the university’s healthcare facilities too. “We are forced to buy medicines from outside the campus. Students who come from the lower income group are the ones who suffer the most,” he said.
