BURLA:Tension prevailed in VIMSAR here on Saturday after medicos of the institution denied entry of Sardar Rajas Medical College (SRMC) students into the campus. On Wednesday, 54 students of SRMC were relocated to VIMSAR.
As VIMSAR students locked up the main gate of the institution denying entry to their SRMC counterparts who had come to submit their seat allotment letters, the authorities concerned decided to postpone their reporting to Monday.
Students of VIMSAR have been opposing the High Court directive to accommodate students of SRMC in the medical college citing lack of faculty members and infrastructure. They had also urged the State Government to move the High Court to review its decision based on ground realities. The High Court, however, directed the Government to complete relocation process of SRMC students by December 22.
VIMSAR students’ union president Jayshankar Mishra said any move to accommodate MBBS students of SRMC would be detrimental to students of both VIMSAR and SRMC. Explaining that VIMSAR has dearth of both teaching staff and infrastructure, including classrooms, laboratory, medical equipment and hostels, he said the increase in the number of students will mount pressure on the available resources and ultimately the students will suffer.
SRMC students said they had been directed to report at VIMSAR between December 24 and 30. At least 12 students of second year and 42 from third year had come to VIMSAR on Saturday to submit their seat allocation letters. “After having lost seven months of the current academic session, we are now clueless about our future,” said Senoja Sahu, a student of SRMC.
Dr Ramesh Chandra Samantray, who is officiating as the Principal of VIMSAR, said the students’ agitation affected official work and the matter will be discussed with them soon.
Meanwhile, parents of SRMC students met the Sambalpur Collector, Balwant Singh and apprised him of the deadlock. The Collector told them that he would discuss the issue with agitating students on Monday.