University’s Decision to Deny Offline Admissions Contested by Student Community, VC Says disgruntled Students are a Minority
Mohammed Zabir Injured Student of the Allahabad University
Richa Singh, President of the Union addressing students on Sunday, May 1
UPDATE on MAY 3:
According to a press note released by president of the union, Richa Singh, on May 3
• Several protesting students sustained severe injurious in a brutal police lathicharge
• There are attempts to falsely implicate, President Richa under serious charges by VC, Prof. Ratan Lal Hangloo
• Students have meanwhile resolved to further intensify the ongoing struggle against compulsory online application and online entrance exam
• The VC has been refusing to meet and engage with the elected student representative
On Monday, May 2, 2016, a brutal lathi charge was unleashed on peacefully protesting students and this, says Richa is ‘an attempt to suppress the ongoing protest movement against online admissions which excludes a large section of students from the rural and marginalised communities.’ The police was called in on orders of the Vice Chancellor, and the Chief Proctor in Allahabad University, allege the students. It is the Samajwadi Party (SP) that rules Uttar Pradesh (UP). Rucha Singh joined the SP recently.
According to the press release, the VC has also lodged false complaint against Richa Singh and other office bearers of the student union. They have been accused of rioting and vitiating the academic atmosphere of the university. VC has also constituted disciplinary committee to take action against protesting students. She added, “I am not going to be intimidated by false charges of VC. In the coming days we are going to intensify the struggle. For that we are going to sit on indefinite hunger strike. Compulsory online application is against those who come from rural background and belong to marginalized community. Moreover, if other central universities like, BHU, AMU, Hyderabad University and JNU can have both the option of online and offline, they why not Allahabad University?” she asks
The story on May 2:
Allahabad University has joined the string of universities using police action against peacefully protesting students. A lathi charge, reportedly brutal has resulted in severe head injuries to 5 or 6 students. Richa Singh, Student Union president told Sabrangindia that this was the administration’s move to break up the united students protest.
Monday, May 2, all departments of the 128-year old Allahabad University were shut down. Even though examinations are on, the strike has been called in protest of the allegedly discriminatory admission policies of the University under the newly appointed Vice Chancellor. The firebrand and articulate first woman president of the Students’ Union, Richa Singh and her colleagues were lead a protest against the university’s decision to deny admissions to students unless they are applied to, online.
Vice Chancellor Rattan Lal Hangloo speaking to Sabrangindia denied the charges of the students.”For all the undergraduate courses, both the online and offline options are available,” he explained. “It is only in the post graduate courses, following the MHRD and UGC guidelines that we have implemented this. Two hundred students have no objection, there are barely 20 who are protesting,” he added. “The online system is better and cleaner, you eliminate corruption and caste etc,” he said.
On Saturday, April 30, protests against the University’s unilateral decision against compulsory online application form for those seeking admission in post graduate courses intensified. Students were demanding option for offline along with online as most of the students come from rural backgrounds. A full-fledged meeting of the Students Union on Sunday sought and obtained a consensus of support from students, the press release has said.
President, Richa Singh told Sabrangindia, “When most of the central universities like BHU, AMU, JNU, Hyderabad University and others have both the options available for students then why is the same procedure –more equitable and accessible –followed by the University of Allahabad? It is more than needed in Allahabad University because it is located in a state which has 78% of a rural population. “ Making her point sharply she added that “making online application compulsory will prevent the entry of many, coming from rural background and from marginalised communities.” The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has both online and offline procedures for admission for students.
Richa Singh through a press release alleged that as protests escalated over the week end, Vice Chancellor, Rattan Lal Hangloo actually went to the extent of trying to dissolve the Student’s Union and even rusticate the elected president. Within an hour of announcing this decision in a press release, however, the press release was withdrawn. This is not the end of the confrontation however. The administration under the new VC has been at loggerheads against the 29 year old first ever Woman’s President of the Union. political activities and programme inside the university campus.’ All manner of tactics and intimidations have been used against her, she alleges largely because she has succeeded in energising a campus seeped in a combination of gang wars, political vendetta, all bound by patriarchy. “Suddenly areas and spaces in the university that were inaccessible to us women have been opened up and it is like a breath of fresh air, :says Richa.
Though the press release ‘rusticating ‘ Richa was withdrawn a ‘high powered committee’ has been constituted ‘to take disciplinary action against protesting student leaders.’ Student leaders have termed the act as an attempt to the dissolve student union for the purpose of curtailing the student voice and movement. The VC has also reportedly lodged criminal complaint against Richa Singh in police station. Richa further added, “This is an attempt to implicate me under false charges and is in continuity with the previous acts. I will not be intimidated.” The VC has also ‘banned all kinds of Suspended Vice Chancellor, Appa Rao of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), Hyderabad has also since March 22 when unprecedented police action was unleashed on students, also ‘disallowed’ political activities on the campus.
Protesting students have alleged that when students went with their demand to VC, he not only refused to meet with the elected office bearers of the student union but also locked himself in his office. Against that, for more than two hours, students organized dharna in front of VC office but in vain.
Recently at a meeting in Mumbai Organised by the Youth Assembly Against Discrimination on April 23, 2016 Richa Singh had said, Like in 1942 We Told Britishers, Today We Tell RSS-BJP to Quit India”