VC orders closure of law varsity for a week

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 19

Students of Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Ghandal (Shimla), are left in the lurch following the sudden order of the Vice-Chancellor to close the university for a week in the wake of continued protests by students for their demands.

They have been asked to vacate hostels tomorrow and denied mess facilities. They can neither go back home, nor have any arrangement to stay here, allege student leaders.

A notice, issued by the Registrar, said, “As directed by the Chancellor, all students are informed that in view of students not calling off protests, in spite of constant efforts by the university administration, it is announced that the university and hostels will remain closed till September 25.”

The notice also said any student still preferring to stay on the university campus would stay at his or her own risk.

Students have rued the non-responsive attitude of the administration and alleged that no efforts have been made to resolve the issues and demands. The students, who are fighting for basic facilities, are at the receiving end.

They claim that their protest is peaceful but the university is adamant. They are on protest, demanding safe drinking water, hygienic food, good hostel and basic amenities and the activities like moot court competitions, seminars, sports and cultural fest which, they claim, are being denied to them.

The university was reluctant to provide a detailed fee structure to students. Some expenses such as sports fee, Wi-Fi fee, student bar council, campus development fund and moot court expenses had never been provided to them in three years, they added.