At the gates of Dr B R Ambedkar University's Kashmere Gate campus, students gathered on Saturday with packed food for peers who had been sitting in an indefinite protest for six days inside campus with demands ranging from drinking water and classrooms to faculty shortage, student representation, and access to campus areas. But those outside alleged security guards stopped them from entering campus and they could not hand over food to protesters. Blessy, an MA Gender Studies student, said students were stopped despite many having classes and exams. Students outside alleged guards stopped food and "manhandled" those trying to receive it.
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The Public Relations Office said items being delivered beyond normal hours were checked by security personnel on safety grounds, that its medical team was monitoring protesters, and that library and computer labs had been closed for maintenance. It said students were informed in advance and that security guards had not initiated any action on their own. Their role is limited to maintaining security as per standard protocol. Further, AUD said while it had designated a place for peaceful protests, students are sitting close to library and classrooms adversely affecting others. Its Proctor's office had appealed to protesters to move to designated area.
At heart of protest are demands to reopen main gate for students, remove iron gates separating administration and student areas, reinstate PhD fee waiver, withdraw July 31 circular requiring students to inform university four days in advance about public gatherings and remove compulsory attendance requirement for PhD scholars.
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The confrontation is latest flashpoint in a protest that began with five-point charter but widened into how university is run. Indian Express had reported on August 7 that AUD has sought "attendance-cum-whereabouts records" for PhD scholars receiving fellowships and had said unauthorised absence from on-campus research work could affect fellowship. PhD scholar Aameen Amitoj said fee waiver was discontinued citing stipend received by research scholars as reason.
More telling is infrastructural collapse. Vivek, Treasurer of Karampura Campus Council, flagged faculty shortage: "It has been almost two-and-a-half months since my third semester began, and we still do not have a teacher for one of our subjects." Master's student: “We don't have drinking water. We don't have clean bathrooms. Some students don't even have faculty to teach.”
Ambedkar University cannot preach social justice while denying water and teachers.
Tags: #AUD #StudentProtest #AmbedkarUniversity #RightToEducation #DelhiUniversity #StudentRights #HigherEducation #FeeHike #PhD #CampusDemocracy