1,200 Students Boycott Classes at MANUU

HYDERABAD:  With the elections to the student union of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) just a couple of days away, students have upped the ante against the administration demanding suspension of the chief warden and university proctor, and better facilities in the hostels.

Seeking action against chief warden Aziz Bhanu and proctor Abdul Vaheed for negligence of duty, around 1,200 students boycotted classes and held demonstration in front of the administration building throughout the day.

The protesting students also demanded restoration of monthly fellowship of `1,000 which was stopped since the beginning of the current academic year. With no response from the administration, the students decided to continue their protest.

Protesting students claimed that the hostels were in poor condition and overcrowded as the university accommodated students beyond the capacity of hostel buildings. But the university provides hostel accommodation only to 30 percent of its students while around 70 percent students are still staying out of the campus at their own expense. The mess facility in the university hostels is also restricted to a limited number of students who stay on the campus.

The protesting students also alleged that the university administration had been imposing restrictions on girl students on the campus.

A student told Express that girl students were not allowed to come out of their hostel buildings after 6 pm even to study in the library.

“The administration has been victimising those students who spoke against the officials. For instance, the university did not release the results of a former president of students union for demanding better facilities at hostels. He lost an academic year,” the student added.