SUS and EILLM students seek HRDD intervention on behalf of students

GANGTOK, 11 Sept: Student’s Union of Sikkim [SUS] and students of EILLM University today submitted a joint memorandum to the Human Resource and Development Department seeking the department’s intervention in the ongoing EILLM University problem.
The letter submitted has demanded a written assurance regarding the authenticity of the EIILM University from the department.
“Since a raid was conducted in the University, we feel that our career is at stake. We want the HRDD to make an intervention in solving the ongoing problem”, said a 3rd year B. Tech student, Ganesh Tamang.
According to the students, no classes have been conducted since the raid.
“We are worried as no classes have been held and the faculty too are saying that they will start teaching only after the issue is resolved”, said Amrit Rai, a BBA student.
The students and SUS members are also demanding that the Department conduct a joint press conference along with the EIILM Officials.
The letter has also demanded the resignation of the Registrar and the Director of the University.
On the other hand, the Secretary HRDD has said that the Department has taken the plea of the students seriously and will act on it.
“I have requested the students to give a month’s time to the University to submit the detailed report regarding the ongoing ruckus. HRDD director is constantly trying to reach the Vice-Chancellor of the EIILM University but has not been able to do so”, said Secretary HRDD, CS Rao.

Agitation purely a students’ movement, maintains SUS

RETRACT ‘EDUCATED ILLITERATE’ STATEMENT OR APOLOGIZE, STUDENTS DEMAND
GANGTOK, 20 May: Students’ Union of Sikkim [SUS] on behalf of all students has urged the different political and non-political organizations not to add a different color to their movement. They maintained that demands and protest against the Sikkim University and the style of functioning of its vice chancellor were purely a students’ movement for the future of the coming generation.
Addressing a press conference today, SUS president, Jiwan Subba, stated that it was unfortunate that some organizations were trying to paint this student’s movement in a different light instead of aiding the movement. He further condemned the labeling of the student protest as ‘Ugrawad’ [extremism] by a local daily and also clarified that the allegation that the students did not allow ambulances to pass through during the blockade was totally false and condemnable.
“We totally condemn being labeled as ‘extremists’ and will take strict legal action against it. We plan to register a complaint with the Press Council of India on this matter,” Mr Subba said.
Further denying allegations of support from the ruling party to their movement, the student group stated that earlier these political parties were not interested in understanding their problems but are now trying to give political color to their movement.
On the Vice Chancellor Prof Mahendra P Lama’s reference to the protesting students as “educated illiterate”, Mr Subba demanded that the VC either retract his statement or apologize to the students immediately. “How has fighting for our rights made us illiterate or ignorant?” he questioned.
Mentioning that in this session more than 3,000 students from different colleges in the State will become graduates, he pointed out that most of these students do not have the option of pursuing further education in the State since the SU has not included the core subjects into the bouquet of PG courses being offered by it.
He stressed that this was not a minor issue but connected with the future of more than 3,000 students. If their demands are not taken seriously then a stronger movement will be launched involving school students as well, he further stated.
As the next step of the movement, the SUS submitted a memorandum to the Governor’s office detailing their 8-point charter of demands on Saturday.
SUS has also expressed its regrets to tourists, drivers and the general public for the inconvenience caused during their highway blockade on 18 May. At the same time, they also expressed gratitude on behalf of the students for their support to the student’s movement.

SU students thumb down VC’s response to charter of demands, block highway in protest

SU EVENTUALLY INKS AGREEMENT TO BEGIN P.G. COURSES BEING DEMANDED BY STUDENTS

BLOCKADE LIFTED AFTER WRITTEN UNDERTAKING TO ADDRESS DEMANDS AND ASSURANCE NOT TO VICTIMISE PROTESTING STUDENTS

GANGTOK, 18 May: Dissatisfied with the response of the Sikkim University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mahendra P Lama, to their demands, students from all the three government degree colleges of Tadong, Namchi and Rhenock and Sikkim Law College led by Students’ Union of Sikkim [SUS] blocked the highway near 6th Mile, Tadong for around 8 hours today. There was much sloganeering, but no untoward incident transpired even though the situation did get heated and tense a couple of times down at 6th Mile today. There was also a strong police bandobast at the spot with the SP and DC keeping a close vigil themselves.
Students, who started to gather in front of the SU Administrative Block at 6th Mile here from around 10 AM with banners and placards announcing their demands, blocked the National Highway infront of the Administrative Block at around noon and continued till 8 PM. They poured out into the highway and stalled traffic when the VC remained unavailable for a meeting with them. Despite consistent demands of the students to meet the VC, Prof Lama remained absent from the scene throughout the day.
It was only after receiving a written assurance [see accompanying box] from the SU Registrar and HRDD Secretary on fulfillment of some of their demands that the blockade was eventually lifted. The HRDD has assured to take up the student demands with the Union HRD Ministry and SU.
In a major concession won by the agitating students, they will be receiving [starting this academic session itself] Post Graduate courses in regular subjects like Mathematics, English, Political Science, Education and Commerce which have been kept out of the 25 PG courses started by SU thus far.
Earlier, upon their arrival at the SU office, an SUS delegation including students from all three colleges, sat in a short meeting with the SU Registrar, Dr JP Tamang. The meeting, however, was not successful as the student’s representatives emerged from it claiming that neither the Registrar, nor any other SU official, was interested in addressing their demands and were “totally neglecting these demands”.
Except ambulances and vehicles with patients, all other vehicles were stranded for hours on either side of the highway. While some opted to take a long detour through Ranka, others resorted to transshipment, walking across the student picket to vehicles on the other side.
An eight-point demand charter had been earlier submitted to the Sikkim University Vice-Chancellor on 07 May along with a seven-day ultimatum for a positive response. The SUS president, Jiwan Subba, today informed that they received a letter from the Sikkim University only on 15 May which did not address any of the demands or issues raised by the students.
He alleged that the university is only stalling the issue by offering hollow consolations and not taking any concrete action. He further pointed out that the letter [issued by the Registrar] was back-dated for 12 May, inferring that this “only goes to show their ‘negligence and ignorance’ towards the student community”.
“Enough initiatives have been taken by the students, now we will not go to the VC again but will approach higher authorities in this matter,” he announced today.
He mentioned that among their eight demands, their main focus is on the demand for post graduation courses in History, Commerce, Education, English, Political Science, Tourism, Botany, Zoology, Regional language and in other regular courses running in SU affiliated colleges from the coming session and on the demand of 50% reservation for local students in post graduation and higher level studies.
Mr. Subba stressed that these two subjects are directly related with the students and their future as every student would not be able to go outside the state to pursue higher studies.
In the letter responding to the demand for regular post graduate courses, the University explains that the courses that it offers at present were “thoroughly discussed in the Academic and the Executive Council of Sikkim University and duly approved by the University Grants Commission”. It goes on to state that some of the remaining core courses that are taught in the colleges will be introduced in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017) along with other courses with the permission of the Academic Council, Executive Council and the University Grants Commission.
On the demand for reservation of seats for students of Sikkim the letter states that the statute of Sikkim University “does not have any such provision”, for which it suggests that “the Sikkim University Act needs to be amended, possibility of which could be perhaps explored with the help of the Hon'ble Members of Parliament from Sikkim”.

AGREEMENT DOCUMENTS

The HRDD Department will conduct PG Courses in MSC Mathematics, MA in English, MA in Political Science, MA Education and Master in Commerce in the current Academic Session in the Government Degree College, Gangtok and the same courses will be conducted at the Sikkim University for the Second Year. The remaining courses shall be started in the next Academic Session- 2013-14 by the Sikkim University and HRDD Department.

The HRD Department will recommend and process for approval of MHRD, Government of India for 50% reservation of seats in PG, MPhil and PHD Courses for the local Students. The action taken by the HRD Department in this regard would be conveyed to the Sikkim University and Students Union of Sikkim periodically.

The minimum qualification for the admission to the PG Courses in the Government Degree College will be 45%. The intake seats will be decided by the Government of Sikkim and would be based on Merit list prepared as per the marks obtained in the Graduate Courses.

The students who were part of today’s agitation would not be victimised by the Sikkim University in any manner.

With regard to other demands placed by the students the same would be referred to Sikkim University immediately for necessary action in consultation with the Students Union of Sikkim.

The agreement has reference to the application dated 7^th May 2012 by the President Students Union of Sikkim.

Jointly signed by

Director (Higher Education), HRDD; and Registrar, Sikkim University

Counter Signed by: Secretary, Human Resource Development Department