Odia students stranded in Tripura seek Odisha govt help

BHUBANESWAR: Around 85 students pursuing their bachelor in education (BEd) in the Central Sanskrit University's Ekalavya Campus at Agartala in Tripura urged Odisha government to help them to return home.
They had stayed in the campus due to examination in April and could not return due to lockdown.
Jagdish Nanda, a second year student of BEd course, said out of 85 students (43 in first year and 42 in second year), 63 were girls. "We are running out of money and it has become a very difficult thing to stay away from our home during this time. We want to go home," he added.
Nanda said his university has some campuses in different states. Many Odia students from other campuses have already left for their home. "We have maximum number of girl students here and they want to return to Odisha. It is very difficult to go by bus from Agartala to Bhubaneswar. We want government intervention for our journey," he added.
Laxmikant Panigrahy, first year student of BEd course, said all the students are staying in rented accommodation near their institute. "We four students are staying in a room and pay Rs 6,000 per month room rent. Most of the students here belong to poor or lower middle class family. Prices of food items, vegetables and other items are high. We cannot manage more days," he added.
He said the university had issued notification to hold examinations in April. "We had stayed for the examinations only. As there was no communication from the university about postponement of the examinations before March 22, we could not come out," he added.
A girl student Sasmita Swain, second year, requested the state government to take them back home. "Our examinations can be held in Odisha, so why we should stay here? We are worried about the uncertainty over the resumption of public transport soon," she added.
Similarly, many Odia students studying in the university's campuses at Mumbai, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and other places got stranded due to lockdown.