HYDERABAD: Protests rocked the government city college in Old City on Thursday. Over 300 students staged a dharna demanding suspension of the principal and controller of examinations for threatening students who had given a negative feedback of the college. Students alleged that the college administration sent e-mails from a fake ID seeking feedback from students. The ID, they said, resembled the one used by education regulator National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). Later, the college allegedly targeted students who had given a negative feedback.
Third year B.Com student E Suresh claims to be one among those who received the e-mail on January 20. “I was called by the principal, controller of examinations and head of the department on January 27. They threatened me saying I would be given TC and sent off if I gave negative reviews of the college. I was again called after two days and threatened,” he claimed. On February 2 when the semester exams were being held, the controller allegedly snatched away Suresh’s answer sheet and told him that he would not be allowed to write the exams and that his TC had been issued.
“They threatened me saying my parents, who are farmers in a village near Bhongir, would be informed about my rustication. I am a first generation learner and my illiterate parents have lots of hope in me. The news would have broken their hearts,” claims Suresh who later confided in friends and seniors. “Soon, we realised that several students had received such e-mails claiming to be from NAAC,” says another student Venkatesh. He alleged that all those who had given negative comments were being harassed like Suresh. “We want all the officials who are threatening the students to be suspended,” says Venkatesh.
Petty matter, says police
Charminar police maintained that it was a petty matter of a student being warned by the faculty for spreading propaganda against the college’s reputation on social media. “He was told that he would be given TC if he did not discontinue this activity. Against this backdrop students staged a dharna in front of the principal’s office,” said Anjaiah, ACP, Charminar. He added that the protest was called off after the principal assured that `13 lakh had been sanctioned for the construction and maintenance of toilets and for drinking water facilities in the campus.