Lilhkothi college students protest lack of infra, staff

Frustrated over the lack of basic infrastructure and severe staff shortages, students of Government College Lilhkothi staged a strong protest on Friday. Led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students boycotted classes, locked the college gate early in the morning, and sat on a dharna outside the campus, raising slogans against the state government and the college administration.

The protesters expressed deep anguish over the non-shifting of the college to its new building, which has been under construction for over two years. Bhawani Thakur, ABVP's state joint secretary, said the college has been functioning in a rented private building for the past nine years.

“The rented structure has only three rooms — one used as the college office and two for classrooms. These rooms are not only inadequate but also old and unsafe. During the rainy season, water seeps in through the damaged roof, making it extremely difficult for students to sit inside. There is no provision for toilets or clean drinking water, which has become a daily struggle for students,” said Thakur.

He added that despite the new college building being nearly completed, the authorities have failed to shift the college to the new premises. “This delay is incomprehensible and unjustified. Students are being forced to study in substandard conditions,” he said.

Along with infrastructure woes, the college is also battling a serious shortage of teaching staff. Currently, the college has only three teachers — one each for history, Hindi, and economics. Posts in other subjects have remained vacant for years despite repeated representations to the government and higher authorities.

“The absence of subject teachers is severely affecting the academic progress of students. We’ve raised this issue several times, but till date, not a single vacant post has been filled,” said Thakur. “We are left with no option but to boycott classes and protest.”

During the protest, ABVP leaders and students warned the government that if their demands are not met soon, they would be forced to launch an intensified agitation in the coming days. They demanded that the college be immediately shifted to the new building, even if partially completed, to protect students from continued hardships — especially during the monsoon.

They also reiterated their demand for immediate appointment of faculty in vacant departments, stating that the future of over 150 students enrolled in the college is at stake.