UoH students demand filling of vacant seats, stage flash protest

Students at University of Hyderabad (UoH) have staged a flash protest in front of the administrative building by blocking it, demanding vacant seats of Masters, MPhil and PhD courses be filled along with and addressing other issues of students. The protest was organised by the Students Union and saw the presence of students in less numbers given the pandemic.

The students alleged that the university is deliberately not filling up the vacant seats disregarding the existing practice of giving admissions through waiting lists for vacant seats. Speaking to TNM Abhishek Nandan, president of Students Union said "There are over 60 seats vacant in MA, MPhil and PhD courses across the different categories, those seats should be filled on the priority basis. We also demand for scrapping of 50% and 45% minimum eligibility criteria for life sciences."

He added "Many fifth year PhD scholars are not getting the non-NET fellowships, amid the pandemic and at the time of completion of the course it would be difficult for scholars to continue the research."

Abhishek further said that the university should relax the tuition fee, lab fee and development fee as the students are not availing the facilities or resources of the university given the online mode of education that university is adopting presently.

The Students Union in a statement has also demanded for phase-wise opening of the campus in line with COVID-19 precautions. TNM was informed that the Students Union representatives were called to discuss with the university authorities about the demands, however the outcome of discussions is yet unclear.

The protest is underway at the time of writing this report. Earlier this week the students' Union has called for virtual protests such as mass emails to university authorities and Twitter storm to highlight their main demands:

1. Fill MPhil/PhD seats through waiting list students.

2. Fill the vacant PG seats through waiting lists.

3. Reopen campus for all the disciplines

4. Reintroduce Integrated Master of Arts (IMA) Urdu 

5. Extension to all MPhil/PhD students.