The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Stir against fee structure turns violent

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007
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Stir against fee structure turns violent

Staff Reporter

—photo: PTI

A student activist grapples with a policeman in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

BHUBANESWAR: Even as the State government slashed the fee for admission into private medical colleges by Rs. 75,000, students’ organisations on Thursday intensified their agitation saying it was not enough.

Protesting the ‘exorbitant fee structure,’ activists of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) and Student Federation of India (SFI) ransacked the M. S. Swaminathan Hall of Orissa University of Agriculture Technology (OUAT), the venue of counselling for admission into medical colleges. This round of protest started as the authorities resumed the counselling process for admission into three government and as many private medical colleges.

The activists, who defied police presence to enter the counselling centre, damaged four computers and a LCD screen, which were installed for regulating the counselling process.

Trouble began right from 6.30 a.m. when activists of Left-affiliated student unions began to assemble near the OUAT gate.

Tense moments

Though police personnel numbering over 50 were present at the venue, four activists managed to enter the hall. They then entered into heated arguments with the authorities of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).

Additional forces were called to the place to bring the situation under control.

This only enraged the protesters who clashed with the police. It was free-for-all at the venue. The city police arrested some 45 activists and presented them in court. Later, counselling got under way amidst heavy security.

Alleging police ‘highhandedness,’ activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) blocked National Highway-5 at busy Jayadev Square of the city throwing traffic out of gear.

“The fee fixed for admission into private medical colleges is not acceptable to us. We cannot allow a government order to be implemented which will take away basic rights of poor students,” SFI State Secretary Sarat Das said.

Two hours later, members of the Democratic Students’ Organisation (DSO) reached the venue to express their displeasure over the ‘exorbitant fee structure.’ They also tried to force their way into the campus of OUAT but this time alert police personnel dispersed them.

The counselling was stopped on July 15 when Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Department communicated to the State Government that MBBS seats in MKCG Medical College, Berhampur and in VSS Medical College, Burla, had been increased from 107 to 150, with effect from July 14.

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