Ousted from campus, over 80 DSNLU students continue to protest

Around 80 students of Damodaram Sanjeevaiah National Law University (DSNLU) are continuing their protest against the management from past two days, as authorities sent them out of the campus for failing to clear examination backlog.

According to reports DSNLU students belonging to states such as Bihar, Rajasthan and Odisha, who failed to clear the backlog of the current semester were forcibly made to vacate the hostel also. Following the same, the students began to protest against the management and raised slogans for justice in front of the university campus on July 20.

Vice-Chancellor Prof V Kesava Rao, along with the staff, tried to calm the students but they refused to move and continued their protest even in rain.

Agitated students claimed that four attempts were meant to be given to clear the backlog. However, authorities allegedly slashed the fourth attempt and asked the students to leave the campus.

Professor Rao added, “[The] High Court gave me a direction, do not conduct any examination which is not provided for in the examination rules. So, this time when they requested, I said I cannot do it because the court order is there and if I violate it, it amounts to contempt of court.”

“The university authorities told us just two days earlier about the new system that for the odd semester backlog examinations, we have only three attempts instead of four. Though we requested the university, they mercilessly sent us out of the campus on Friday evening. Now we are demanding justice,” protesting student Prateek said.

Professor Rao has refuted the students’ statement, claiming that intimation to vacate the hostel had been sent to students much earlier, on June 29. “I have documentary evidence, they were informed on 29th June.”

Prateek further added, “Faculty at the University is not at par with the requirement necessary to teach here. Complaints are never heard. The faculty holds grudges against students and detains or fails them. Amendments in exam rules are not notified to us. Rules are not student-friendly.”

“[Students are demanding] that they must be permitted to stay till a final decision is taken by the Academic Council. I said that can’t be permitted. Once the Academic Council takes the decision, I will inform you. You can come and directly stay in the university hostels…” Rao added.