Shimla: SFI stages protests against ‘de-reservation’ of ST seats

Shimla, April 4

The Student Federation of India (SFI), Himachal Pradesh University unit, here today staged a protest against the “de-reservation” of seats of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in the Department of Commerce, demanding that the university authorities cancel the admissions given to general category students in the PhD programme of the department.

The SFI also demanded the resignation of the Department of Commerce Chairperson over this matter, besides demanding that the university authorities investigate the previous “fraudulent” admissions in the PhD programme and take stern action against those found guilty.

Accusing university authorities of de-reservation of ST seats and converting them to general seats, SFI campus secretary Sunny Sekta said this directly violated the rights of students belonging to ST communities and distanced them from the equal right to education. This neglected the constitution and disregarded both university ordinances and UGC regulations, he added.

Sekta said the university was continually becoming a breeding ground for corruption.

“Former Vice-Chancellor Sikander Kumar had previously facilitated fake admissions for his and his friends’ children in PhD programmes before leaving to become a BJP Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha. Similarly, the current Congress government is also continuing this tradition of promoting fake and illegal admissions,” he said.

SFI further warned the university authorities of intensifying protests if it failed to take action in this matter.