Mangaluru : High drama unfolded at the Mangalore University campus on Friday when a massive student agitation led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Bharat (ABVP) culminated in the siege of the institution’s administrative block. Demonstrating against chronic infrastructural deficits and deep-rooted fiscal corruption, the agitated students demanded the immediate stepping down of the Vice-Chancellor. The demonstration eventually led to the intervention of the Konaje police, who temporarily detained and later released the student activists.
Leading the charge, ABVP State Joint Secretary Sujith launched a scathing attack on the university leadership, accusing them of being apathetic to student representations. Unveiling a comprehensive 9-point charter of immediate demands, Sujith claimed that the student body possessed concrete evidence regarding multiple administrative lapses. He warned that the leadership, which hitherto operated from air-conditioned comfort, would now face relentless and uncompromising student resistance until permanent remedial measures are enforced.
The protestors lamented that despite the university’s glorious five-decade legacy of nurturing international scholars, it currently fails to provide basic amenities, highlighting the absolute lack of drinking water filters across various floors. The student outfit further alleged that over the past decade, substantial student-contributed funds were systematically diverted into non-essential, high-budget projects like international hostels, solar panels, and CCTV systems, primarily to line the pockets of corrupt officials rather than upgrading the core academic infrastructure.
Specific grievances brought to light included severe resource scarcity in science laboratories, where essential chemicals were allegedly unavailable until a protest ultimatum forced a late procurement worth Rs 15 lac. Furthermore, students voiced anger over exorbitant fees, noting that the university charges Rs 3,650 for internships and Rs 750 per semester for marks cards, only to issue a single consolidated sheet at the end. In the MBA department, severe equipment shortages reportedly force ten students to share a single computer terminal. Remembering a similar, yet futile agitation held on November 15, 2025, the student leaders asserted that asking for the Vice-Chancellor’s exit was their final resort.
The standoff escalated into a heated war of words when the Vice-Chancellor stepped out to address the crowd. Tempers flared significantly when the head of the institution asked students to adapt to the ongoing financial crunch, a remark that drew furious retaliation from the protestors who argued that student fees fund the university’s entire operational machinery, including guest faculty salaries. Outrage was also expressed over the fact that while the administration claimed a water shortage for the 300 protesting students, bottled water was readily accessible inside the executive cabins.
In his defense, the Vice-Chancellor stated that the state administration had been largely unresponsive to daily official correspondence. He, however, clarified that a recently sanctioned government grant of Rs 20 crore is being systematically utilized to clear pending dues and upgrade facilities transparently to avoid previous scam allegations. He explained that due process through building and purchase committees governs all procurements, adding that an order for 200 computers has been initiated, laboratory chemicals arrived in early May, and three major welfare projects are currently underway to ensure student funds are meticulously managed for hostel expenses and essential maintenance.
Following the breakdown of talks, the students attempted to persist with their siege, prompting the Konaje police to forcefully clear the area. Key student representatives, including Konaje City Secretary Manu, alongside campus union office-bearers Nihar, Shreesha, Apeksha, Kesari, and Yashwin, were among those actively leading the demonstration.
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
Posted in: Regional News, Latest News, News, top-featured
