Thiruvananthapuram: The research students of Kerala University are continuing their protest defying the orders of Vice-Chancellor P.K. Radhakrishnan banning strikes on the Palayam and Kariavattom campuses of the university during working hours. The strike on the Palayam campus had turned violent on Monday. The students under the banner of research students union and SFI organised various cultural programmes on Kariavvatom campus on Thursday as part of the agitation. One was a poetry recital by poet Vinod Vaishaki.
On Saturday, the striking students would begin a coaching class for UGC-NET examinations at the samara panthal at Karivattom, Mr P. Maneesh, general secretary of the research union told Deccan Chronicle. The issues started after the Kerala University enforced on January 8 the UGC order mandating that the university shall select a research supervisor from among only regular faculty members. However, no other university in the state has issued such an order.
The agitating researchers have also sought the withdrawal of the hike in the extension fees from Rs 600 to Rs 1.7 lakh. The vice-chancellor had banned the strikes following a recent agitation in which he was blocked by a group of researchers protesting against the new research guidelines. The issues worsened with the university recently suspending V.V. Ajeesh, P. Maneesh, S. Najeeb, V. Shanu and K.P. Vishnu who had blocked the vice-chancellor.
