Protesting against the introduction of B.FSc (Bachelor of Fisheries) course at Annamalai University, Chidambaram, students of Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI) here boycotted regular classes here on Monday and staged a dharna in front of the institute.
They raised slogans seeking the intervention of State government to stop Annamalai University from offering the course.
Tamil Nadu Fisheries University was established by State government at Nagapattinam exclusively for courses in fisheries development and its allied activities.
As per the Tamil Nadu Fisheries University Act, 2012, only colleges affiliated to TNFU were allowed to offer B.FSc. courses. But, the move of Annamalai University to offer the course was shocking, they said.
While several students hailing from poor economic background got admission to FCRI with cut off marks specified by government on a par with studies of medicine, the introduction of the course by the non-affiliated institute would pave way for commercialisation of education, the students said.
A total of 220 students took part in the dharna, which began at 10 a.m. and concluded at 5 p.m.
