Protest continues in National Law University Odisha
(Judicial Quest News Service)
With vigour as fervent as that upon commencement, students of National Law University Odisha
are sticking to their promise of an indefinite protest till all demands laid out by the Student Body
are met by the administration. Administrative apathy and strong rains have both failed to
demotivate the resolute law students.
If Day 1 of the protest brought more clarity to the picture, Day 2 further revealed the
administration’s lack of concern. For issues related to the examination and academic policies, the
students and the administration have reached resolution pending execution. Assurances have been
made and the students seek to secure them. The same status goes for demands of a permanent
functional medical dispensary, ambulance and nurse to cater to medical exigencies. The
administration failed to placate issues with regards to opacity of Faculty Evaluation and students
were asked to give the bad teachers a chance to improve “because they are good human beings”.
The fee hike for first year students by 30,000 rupees while remaining an issue not justified to the
student’s satisfaction, reached resolution of being put forth the Executive Council. The
administration vehemently refused replacement of the present resident wardens to the hostels with
non-faculty resident wardens justifying it by the inherent respect held for a teacher as against non-
teaching staff. The demand of implementing the promised hostel-in timing waiver was vehemently
denied by the Vice Chancellor while an experimental extension till 12 midnight was proposed
relying on unfounded fears of the administration. The Registrar made oral assurances that the Air
Conditioners in the Academic Block will be functional within a week but the Student Body will
only be satisfied with a written assurance.
Failing all the faith students have vested in the administration, the Vice Chancellor immediately
dismissed and failed to even acknowledge the two most pressing issues of the student protest- the
repair and functional construction of the Girls Hostel II and the construction of the promised
library- all in front of 800 protesting students. As administrative ignorance continues, the waves
of protest and change in NLUO strengthen.
