Open-air study for Odisha's Ravenshaw students over classroom safety

The protesting students claimed their classrooms have been lying in a dilapidated condition for a long time owing to which they had been requesting the university authorities to repair them.

Students of Plus III 2nd year Odia dept studying in the open in front of the V-C’s office as a mark of protest, on Thursday. (Photo | Express)

CUTTACK: Peeved over having their complaints regarding unsafe classrooms ignored for a long time, students of Plus III Arts second-year of the Odia department at Ravenshaw University in a mark of protest on Thursday held their classes on the road in front of the vice-chancellor’s office seeking immediate repair.

The protesting students claimed their classrooms have been lying in a dilapidated condition for a long time owing to which they had been requesting the university authorities to repair them but the latter reportedly kept ignoring their pleas. Hence, they staged a sit-in protest on the road in front of the V-C’s office to press for their demand. Expressing solidarity, a faculty member also joined the students and conducted classes in the open.

Alleging that such a situation posed risk to their lives, the students urged the university administration to take immediate steps to repair the classrooms and ensure a safe learning environment for them. “Our classrooms have been lying in a dilapidated condition for a long time. We have been complaining about it to the university authorities for the last one month but they are not responding to our requests,” said a protesting student.

Another agitator informed they have four classrooms out of which two have become extremely unsafe. “Earlier, the rooms were partially damaged with rainwater soaking through the roof. But now, two classrooms have become so damaged that pieces of plaster keep falling from the ceiling every now and then. We had also written an application to the university in this regard but no step has been taken to repair them,” he added.

Left with no other option, the students held their classes on the road as a mark of protest. After agitating for over an hour, university registrar Kanhu Charan Mallik and PG Council chairman Prof Dharmabrat Mohapatra came to the spot and held discussion with the students. The protest was called off after they assured the students of completing the repair work within 10 days.

“For the time-being, we have made alternate arrangements for conducting classes for these students and are making efforts to complete the repair work within 10 days,” Mallik said.