Kochi: Nearly 200 students out of a total of 800 students at Albertian Institute of Science And Technology (AISAT) at Kalamassery near here boycotted classes and staged a dharna on the college gate demanding that the college authorities should step back from objectionable actions imposed on them. The students alleged that the college authorities did not allow them to sport beard and acted against them for not wearing a particular colour socks and were not allowed to use college lift.
They also said that the authorities threatened them to reduce internal marks if they did not fall in line. The students also said that they were slapped with huge fines for lapses like coming to classes late or losing hall tickets. There are also complaints that girl students are not allowed to wear hijab while attending practical classes. “Even students going for Sabarimala are not allowed to sport beard. Students who miss classes while going for Friday prayers are not compensated. The intervals are cut short to five minutes.
The canteen food is not good. Even the arts and sports days were held simultaneously on one day. No time is granted for undertaking training in arts and sports. The management bid is to discourage and prevent association between students and their union,” said a mechanical fourth semester student. He said that though complaints were raised, no remedy has been taken. “So we submitted a charter of demands on Monday to the college authorities and will await a response till Tuesday evening. If they fail to resolve them, we will intensify the agitation,” said the student who preferred not to be named.
Meanwhile AISAT principal Mr K.E. George told DC that the college authorities aim at positioning students well professionally. “We have a good campus placement record and that is because of the discipline and some of them may have inconvenienced some. No step has been initiated to intimidate the students. Anyway since a complaint has been formally lodged, we will hold talks with them on Tuesday and will try to resolve iy,”Mr George added.
