ADILABAD: Students of IIIT-Basar set a deadline of July 24 for the administration to resolve their issues — appointment of a permanent Vice Chancellor, change of mess contractors and supply of uniforms, shoes and sports materials — failing which they warned of intensifying protests and boycotting classes.
The protests intensified over the past two days as students suffered food
poisoning after consuming rotten eggs served in the mess, following which
the police registered a case against the contractors.
Members of the student council and parents’ committee held talks with
interim Vice Chancellor Prof. Venkataramana and got a written assurance to
consider their demands.
Sources said that the VC informed them that fresh tenders for the mess
contract would be issued by July 23, to take over from the present
contractors, who are tied down till September 24. Till then, fresh
ingredients would be ensured and cooking quality will be supervised by the
teaching faculty, the VC was said to have told them.
However, students are reluctant to consume the food, fearing a repeat of the
food poisoning incident. Around 1,000 students reportedly left the campus
over the weekend as they did not have other food options.
Further, the issue of appointing a permanent VC is a complicated one, as
only the Chancellor can call for a search committee to look for candidates.
However, the absence of a Chancellor necessitates that the post first is
filled up, to pave the way for a VC hunt.
The situation on the campus was tense as the developments came in the
backdrop of examinations scheduled for senior years from Monday.
