CUTTACK: Members of the alumni association and students of Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College on Monday took out a candlelight march on the institution premises seeking fulfilment of their four-point charter of demands including university status for the college.
Their other demands included return of the prime land portion taken away by the state government for construction of a public road, retention of the college building with the DHE which the Culture department is eyeing to convert to ‘Madhu Smaraki’ and fulfilment of the government’s promise to construct the college’s second campus in a nearby area.
The alumni association stated that though the Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College is the oldest women’s college in the state, established over 113 years ago through a gift deed signed by Shailabala Das, the illustrious daughter of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, it continues to lie in neglect due to the step-motherly attitude of the state government.
“While Rama Devi Women’s College, established much later, has been declared as a university, Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College is yet to get the same status,” the association members pointed out.
The alumni and students said they would submit a fresh petition to the state government and intensify their agitation if the demands are not fulfilled.