The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Agriculture students suspend their agitation

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Sunday, Dec 09, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Agriculture students suspend their agitation

Staff Reporter

Following assurance from Government

COIMBATORE: Students of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, who have been on a fast-unto-death for the past three days, on Saturday suspended their agitation following an assurance from the State Government that their demands will be favourably considered.

The students began the fast after their talks with Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam failed. They are seeking employment for 12,000-odd graduates, besides raising other demands.

Student representative V.T. Rajadurai, told The Hindu that they had agreed to suspend the fast in response to the official communication.

“The Government has agreed to appoint agriculture, horticulture and forestry graduates for the 432 posts of agricultural officers and horticultural officers lying vacant. It has also agreed to fill the 36 posts of agricultural engineers in the Department of Agricultural Engineering with B.E. and B. Tech. agricultural graduates,” he said.

The other demands regarding irregular promotions that were given against norms, appointment of agricultural teachers, giving priority in government jobs to those who have done courses (autonomous) in food processing and value addition, etc., would be taken for consideration, according to the communication.

It also stated that the demand for regularising all autonomous courses into a general one would be considered. It said: “There are no discrepancies or differences of opinion from the side of the Government as regards the 11 demands placed by the students. There is also no difficulty with regard to their meeting the officials concerned and Minister for speedy solution.”

Vice-Chancellor C. Ramasamy said the Government was only one channel of employment. “There are so many other avenues. They are falsely propagating that they are not getting job opportunities”.

He gave statistics from 2003, of the number of students from the university who were placed with the help of the Directorate of Students’ Welfare.

He told reporters that the university would reopen once things settled down.

The students are keen to initiate tripartite talks among officials, unemployed graduates and students in the presence of the Chief Minister.

Staff Reporter from Madurai writes:

Students of the Agricultural College and Research Institute (ACRI) in Madurai called off their strike.V.P. Jayaseelan, ACRI Students’ Union secretary, said they welcomed the positive response from the Government to their genuine demands. Undergraduate, postgraduate and research students took part in the strike.

Tense moments

Earlier in the morning, there were tense moments as more than 20 students, including girls who were on hunger strike, fainted and were rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) and private hospitals. Most of them were discharged by evening.

According to S. Kalanidhi, students’ union office-bearer, the major grievance of students was that neither senior government officials nor political leaders had come to meet them and discuss their demands even after six days of strike.

“Everyone says that agriculture is the backbone of the country. But, the plight of agricultural college students is that there are no adequate government jobs for those completing their courses,” Mr. Kalanidhi said.

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