Students are now threatening to sit on hunger strike if their demands are not met.
By Mahmood Asim, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Jamia Hamdard, a deemed minority university in the national capital appears to be marred in rampant irregularities and corruption. Now with forcible hostel evacuation and fees hike, students of the University are agitated, who are accusing the authorities of high-headedness and several irregularities.
Jamia Hamdard was started with the vision of Hakeem Abdul Hameed and Syed Hamid Ali.
For last one week students from several faculties in the University have protested, raising slogans and marched silently repeatedly against forcible evacuation from the hostel even before competition of the course. Instead of accepting the demands, authorities did not even bother to meet the students over the issue. On Friday students wore black strips on their heads and went to pray for Juma as mark of protest.
Speaking to TwoCircels.net, a BUMS Student said, “We marched silently and with black strip on our head before Juma prayer as mark of protest, but in spite of our all struggle administration is paying no heeds to our demands.”
Another student, Iftekhar said, “They don’t want to talk to us. We will sit on hunger strike, if they don’t listen to our demands.”
Boys living in the hostel were issued a notice to vacate by May 15 on the pretext that girls will be allotted the same hostel.
On this issue a charter of demands issued by protesters says that two girls’ hostels namely Razia Sultana girls’ hostel and Rufida Nursing girls Hostel have been converted into OPD and IPD of the hospital and hence girls are being shifted to boys’ hostel.
They said that the male students will now face problems as there will be shortage of accommodation for them.
The charter reads, “Only 25 rooms of 2 bedded and some of three bedded are available for UG Boys. There were two boys’ hostels four year back”.
Mahmuduz Zafar, a professor of science at the university, while talking to TwoCircles.net confessed that there are unrest among the student community and teachers as well.
“All this unrest is because of one major reason i.e. absence of MoA (Memorandum of Association). MoA is like Constitution of the university and in absence of MoA surely there will be unrest,” he told TCN.
Professor Zafar who is also the (Functional) President of the Teachers’ Association, further told TCN, “Our meetings, appointments all activities are considered illegal in the absence of MoA,” adding that cases pertaining to the matter is pending in the court.
Meanwhile, Charter of demands prepared by students itself further says, “Students think that the both (Vice Chancellor and Registrar) do not know how the administration is controlled and managed as they are failing in maintaining the status of the University on 2nd number at all India level as in 2008 according to Prof. Tandon committee. Now the university is at 33rd number. Moreover now the university is deficient financially while the university had 25 crore when the present V.C came here”.
The Charter of 20 demands concludes, “Students want, wish and demand in democratic way that V.C and registrar both should leave the University and the high level enquiry committee should be established for both to resolve the university problems. Students think that teaching and non-teaching staffs are with them internally as they are more worry than the students but they cannot support them externally for their job safety.”
Keeping in mind the severity of charges this reporter tried to speak to the authorities of the University but invain. The Vice Chancellor Office asked to talk to the Relation Officer (PRO), but the PRO too refused to talk on the matter and instead suggested to talk to the Registrar, who too appeared busy in meetings.
Problems being faced by the students, teachers and all other employees of Jamia Hamdard:
1) Only 25 rooms of 2 bedded and some of 3 bedded are available for U.G boys. There were two boys’ hostels four years back.
2) Two girls’ hostels are changed into OPD and IPD and girls had been shifted to the boys’ hostels.
3) Hostel has not been allotted to the PG students and research scholars from 2 years.
4) Grants and scholarships to the research scholars have been stopped from January’15because University has not sent the right report about grants and scholarships. Research scholars contacted the authority but still they did not solve the problem.
5) UGC has stopped the grant of clause 12 B and 2 F some days back due to incomplete and incorrect report from university.
6) 6 years back play ground of boys had been given to a company “Turrf” for 4 lacks per annum. Boys are not allowed to play in the ground without permission of that company.
7) No play ground for girls.
8) Laundry fee is compulsory for each hostler.
9) Library is closed at 5 pm.
10) Wi-Fi charges are compulsory for non hostlers also while they have no facility to stay in the campus after 5 pm. Moreover the facility of this service is much disturbed and not good and regular.
11) Health facility has been closed for students. Student ward is closed in the hospital.
12) MCI has not permitted for 3rd year of MBBS because two students of that batch are admitted in the course without any entrance or interview. MCI ordered to cancel their admission but still the action is not taken.
13) In the absence of V.C when students want to meet acting V.C for their problem they are not informed who is acting V.C. Students think that V.C goes out of station without making any senior most professor as acting.
14) UGC provided a big grant for coaching and guidance center for minority students three years back. University did not utilize that fund for the said center and on asking by UGC the University sent the wrong report.
15) Students think that V.C and registrar both are busy and involved in financial bugling and they do not think about the students’ development and also do not want to resolve their genuine problems. Many buildings and projects in lacs and crores are being continued through V.C and registrar directly without any tender or proper channel. Moreover many places and floors have been given to many companies on lease and they give no benefit for students or profit to university.
16) Students know that during the period of this V.C and registrar a number of cases have been registered in the courts regarding services of teaching and non teaching staffs. They think that due to this major bad situation they do not find the environment of the campus suitable and co-friendly for their sincere study. According to the students the reason behind this is that teaching and non teaching staffs are suffering from many problems but they can not oppose the one or both for their promotion and job safety.
17) Students think that the both do not know how the administration is controlled and managed as they are failing in maintaining the status of the University on 2nd number at all India level as in 2008 according to Prof. Tandon committee. Now the university is at 33rd number. Moreover now the university is deficient financially while the university had 25 crore when the present V.C came here.
18) Students never want to look into the matter of administration but now students knew that V.C is of more than 65 years (the maximum age to be V.C of any University according to UGC). Now students think him as illegal.
19) AYUSH has given fund to make Unani hospital but still no Unani hospital has been constructed and the hospital shifted from one building to another near about three times during the period of this V.C and registrar.
20) Students want, wish and demand in democratic way that V.C and registrar both should leave the University and the high level enquiry committee should be established for both to resolve the university problems. Students think that teaching and non teaching staffs are with them internally as they are more worry than the students but they can not support them externally for their job safety.