Students at Uttarakhand Ayurved University climbed a water tank on Wednesday after alleging that examination results have not been declared for the past four years, bringing academic progress at the institution to a standstill. The protest at the university’s Harrawala campus later escalated into a confrontation with police, even as officials opened talks with the agitating students.The protest began with students of the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) gathering on the campus and raising slogans against the delay in the declaration of examination results. They demanded that the university immediately release the pending results and conduct the examinations that have been held up because of the backlog.As the agitation gathered pace, some students climbed a water tank inside the campus while others staged a sit-in below, refusing to leave until their demands were addressed.
Four-year delay at the centre of protest
Students said they have been waiting for examination results for nearly four years, affecting their academic progression and delaying subsequent examinations.A scuffle broke out between some protesting students and police personnel during the demonstration, according to PTI.Police officials later said discussions were underway with the students who had climbed the water tank. According to PTI, around half a dozen students remained atop the water tank while negotiations continued.University authorities also stepped in as the protest continued. The Vice-Chancellor of Uttarakhand Ayurved University, along with other university officials, held discussions with the protesting students in an attempt to break the deadlock.University officials are trying to resolve the impasse through dialogue while addressing the students’ grievances over the pending examination results and delayed academic schedule.
What students are demanding
At the centre of the protest are two demands:
- Immediate declaration of the pending examination results.
- Conduct of the subsequent examinations that have been delayed because of the backlog.
As talks between students, police and university officials continued on Wednesday, it remained to be seen whether the negotiations would lead to a timeline for the declaration of results and the conduct of pending examinations.
