Published On : Thu, Apr 24th, 2014

Where are politicians, wellwishers? Vanished when needed most, say Engineering students

Advertisement

“The bigwig politicians belonging to various parties and well-wishers, who lined and delivered roaring speeches at agitation venue in support of demands of the engineering students and squatted with them for hours together apparently for photo session and publicity stunt only, vanished from the battlefield when needed most,” feel the enraged students while talking to Nagpur Today on Thursday.

File Pic

File Pic

Nagpur News: The development, wherein the engineering students were denied permission to appear for Summer 2014 examinations by RTMNU, witnessed the most surprising and shocking missing part with open eyes. “The politicians and well-wishers, who displayed unfailing solidarity and sympathy with the engineering students during their 10-day agitation few months ago at RBI Square for pressing various demands, now played the vanishing tricks. The bigwig politicians belonging to various parties and well-wishers, who lined and delivered roaring speeches at agitation venue in support of demands of the engineering students and squatted with them for hours together apparently for photo session and publicity stunt only, vanished from the battlefield when needed most,” feel the enraged students while talking to Nagpur Today on Thursday.

“The nefarious design of politicians has now squarely been exposed. All moves were/are for elections and winning hearts of students. But at what cost? At the cost of students!! The politicians who consider themselves great youth leaders, are not being seen anywhere now. The politicians who are always in the forefront for hogging publicity have not issued a single statement criticizing the RTMNU decision or sympathic words to students, even for the sake of publicity stunt,” said the students with outrage writ large on their faces.

“Similarly, the Academic Council members and other higher authorities of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU), who left no chance to create chaotic situations in almost every meeting and held the then Vice Chancellor Dr Vilas Sapkal to ransom on the issues of engineering students, have lost the voice now. All the drama in meetings was in the garb of selfish motive. The Academic Council members were also frequenting the agitation venue and pouring ‘sweet’ words of solidarity and sympathy on students. But now it has become crystal clear that they were acting in for self interests with no other motive at all. The same Academic Council had issued Notification/Ordinance that has ultimately proved our nemesis,” pointed out the students to Nagpur Today and added that nobody sees flaws of RTMNU in valuation, revaluation, delayed results, grave mistakes in question papers, shabby state of affairs in handling other crucial issues.

Students talk:

Engineering student Abhishek Ingolikar opined, “During our agitation at RBI square, a Minister and politicians from various regional parties visited us, shared the stage and assured us of support and solution. The 11-day hunger strike was called off after an assurance was given by the RTMNU administration as well as Authority in resolving their problems. But all of sudden, they all have backed-off and are now not supporting our cause. We are being called ‘failure students’ and blamed for lack study and ability. But why don’t the university see their own lacunas like late revaluation results, flawed checking of papers and lack of permanent teachers to check the papers and other crucial mistakes. The fee charged for revaluation is highest in Nagpur University. Why don’t the leaders and politicians take cognizance of these facts prevailing in the University.  Are we sons of Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis to afford such huge charges for revaluation.”

Engineering student Prachi Bolkate said “We are struggling for the past 8 months in order to save a precious year. For this, students need support from any of the sources that could help overcome the situation. There could be strong support from the political parties. But in reality, none of the political parties is coming forward to our help. What would that supposed to mean? Is this selfishness of political parties or they are not serious about the issue of the students? If they come forward to help engineering students then that would be a great favour to all students and RTMNU may also reconsider their decision.

Tanveer Alam, an engineering student said, “Political parties are not supporting us on the pretext of elections and code of conduct. But justice is getting delayed. This issue is prevailing since 8-9 months. It is a huge setback as even after such a long time no solution could be worked out.”

NSRU President Ankush Bhoyar asserted, “We were assured and promised that an amicable solution will be worked out. But now they are refusing. The students are being called as failure students but on the contrary, they are suffering because of the lacunas in the examination system of the university. For example, some of the students appeared in Winter 2013 have not even received the photo copies of their revaluated answer sheets till today.

Saurabh Tripathi, an engineering student said, “Nagpur University, although being 100-year old, yet it is providing cheap quality of education, is involved in various scams, charging exorbitant examination fees (highest in India ), providing late revaluations , poor scrutinizing of papers, involvement in paper leaks, disobeying High Court’s orders on the 250 banned colleges, inefficiency of staff and lecturers, paper setting scam of Registrar’s son etc etc. But still the university officials say we the students are at fault.
It is due to these uncertainties we are facing huge losses in accords of time, money, mental depression, lack of job opportunities and sometimes loss of lives, too.”
Alexander Mathew, an engineering student, said, “I will not explain the situation related to this issue since everyone is already aware of it. I just want to say that many political parties and many well-wishers showed their interest to help us but now not even a slight glimpse of their shadows is seen. We the students just want to know what is our right and what is just?”
It may be recalled, Nagpur Today had flashed many reports pertaining to students’ agitation. One of the reports titled: “Enraged engineering students wage do or die battle, resort to hunger strike at RBI Square” said, While VC Vilas Sapkal and other NU officials continuing to play deaf to protesting students, Student’s Association of Nagpur University (STON) has stepped up their agitation with 10 students proceeding on indefinite fast at RBI square.

10 engineering students from across the Vidarbha began an indefinite hunger strike in front of Sanvidhan Chowk (RBI Square) on Friday (August 23). Hundreds of engineering students gathered here from Friday morning to protest and press for their demands. Students from the city as well as from far flung areas of Vidarbha have joined in the agitation.

Students are demanding reduction in examination fees , supplementary examination fees should be limited to the fee of each paper instead of a flat fee, reduction in revaluation fees and revaluation results on time. However, their main demand pertains to “carry on” in exams.

The University authorities in the earlier meetings with the students stated that demands of the engineering students will be considered within the framework of the existing rules and regulations, directions, ordinances, statutes and Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994 and due advantage as per the said rules will be given to the students .

Vice Chancellor Dr Vilas Sapkal had assured that a solution pertaining to various problems of the engineering students would be arrived at. Meanwhile, University has issued notification to the colleges to give details of the students who have backlogs in first year and are in 4th Semester.