Hyderabad: Students of Malla Reddy Engineering College & Management Sciences (MREM) were stranded and humiliated after their ID cards were confiscated due to their inability to pay the bus fee of Rs 5,000. Students were forced to disembark from the buses in the middle of their commute.
The incident unfolded last week, when several students of MREM, located in Kistapur village of Medchal, were asked by the college to return their ID cards and deboard buses.
One student, on condition of anonymity, said, “I come from a modest background, and '5,000 is a significant sum for my family. I couldn't afford the bus fee immediately. It's heartbreaking to see the college respond in this manner.”
The move has left many in the lurch, given the lack of timely or direct buses from the heart of the city to Medchal. This means that the bus frequency would dictate the college timings for students. Another issue is that their bus passes aren't applicable for most metro buses plying on this route, making college transport the safest and easiest mode.
While this incident has left the students feeling demoralised and abandoned, college authorities have yet to provide an official statement or response regarding the situation. The lack of communication has only fuelled students' anxieties and concerns.
