Fifteen students of a college in Bihar’s Kishanganj district have been arrested after they allegedly clashed with police on Monday. The students of Marwari College, affiliated to Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University, Madhepura, were protesting against the cancellation and delay of BA Part-I examination, just a day before it was to begin.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, college principal Dr Surender Ramanand said the examination was cancelled as per the orders of the university. “We got to know about the cancellation on the evening of October 29. The next morning, before the examination was to commence, students had gathered outside the gate of the college,” he said. Ramanand said the examination was earlier scheduled for October 16 and 17. “But it was postponed on account of Diwali,” he said. The principal, however, did not explain as to why the October 30 date was cancelled.
Aman Reza, a second year student, said they had gathered at the college to demand resignation of the vice-chancellor and regularisation of the academic session. “Some of the students burned tyres. Soon the situation got out of control and police resorted to lathicharge,” he said.
District Magistrate Pankaj Dikshit said the students pelted stones on the police party injuring a few police officials. He also ruled out high handedness by the police. “Those who have been arrested were involved in the violence. They pelted stones on the police,” he said. Those arrested have been charged for rioting, obstructing government officials from discharging their duty, unlawful assembly etc.
Sikander Alam, an eyewitness, said police tried to vacate the students from the road outside the college. “There have been injuries on both the sides,” he said.
Over the past few years, there have been repeated delays in conducting examination in the university. Aman Reza said, ‘this has become a routine now’. “It takes over six years to finish a three-year graduation course. The university is playing with the lives of students. The examination scheduled on October 30 was supposed to take place last year only,” Reza said.
Echoing Reza, Prof Sajal Kumar Saha of the college said the academic session of the university has been running late by two years. “It’s a sad state of affairs. And whatever happened on Monday is unfortunate. Students do suffer because of the delay,” he said. Student groups are now demanding immediate release of those who have been arrested, Reza said.