Students at the National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C) are protesting against what they term as the attempts by the authorities to restrict their movement on the campus after an order was issued on March 20 to introduce night curfew regulations and close late-night canteens by 11 p.m.
In a mail to the students, G.K. Rajanikant, Dean, Students’ Welfare, said that “unrestricted late-night access” and “late-operating canteens” had presented serious challenges to the administration. Following this, decisions were taken to change the night curfew policy and late-night canteen operations. All hostel residents must ensure they are back in their rooms by midnight at the latest. Violators would face suspension from the hostels if found to be in non-compliance.
Mr. Rajanikant’s e-mail said that “late-night snacking” had led to unhealthy food choices among the students, contributing to poor dietary habits and adversely affecting their overall health. Late-night outings had also led to safety and security challenges for students. “In addition, the disturbance in your sleep patterns due to late-night activities is placing tremendous pressure on your mental well-being. Lack of adequate sleep affects your ability to concentrate on academics and other productive activities, ultimately impacting your overall performance and success.”
The students, however, claim that there were morning and afternoon schedules for them. The new restrictions will affect those in the afternoon schedule as they are engaged in the night. A protest was held on the campus on Wednesday night breaking the curfew restrictions.
