: Research scholars under the University of Kerala began an indefinite ‘rappakal samaram’ (day-and-night agitation) on the Karyavattom campus on Thursday in protest against the ‘vindictive stance’ of the Vice Chancellor who had suspended six research scholars.
The stir, organised jointly by the Research Students’ Union and the University campus committee of the SFI, demanded the withdrawal of suspension of the students, against whom the Vice Chancellor had purportedly filed a criminal complaint for having raised various issues that affected research studies at the varsity. Following their arrests, the students were allegedly suspended.
They included Research Students’ Union chairman and Senate member P. Manesh, union general secretary V. Shanu, University union councillor K.P. Vishnu, SFI campus unit secretary V.V. Ajesh, joint secretary S. Najeeb and committee member Prajith Kumar. The agitating researchers have also sought the withdrawal of hike in extension fee from Rs. 600 to Rs. 1.7 lakh and disbursal of clearance certificate by the Ethics Committee. The list of demands included resumption of M.Phil. seats that were reduced, rectification of anomalies in the implementation of the 2009 UGC regulations, and take up the 2016 UGC regulations for discussion at the Academic Council.
