• Students to refrain from paying tuition fees
• Appeal for intervention
Dimapur, August 30 (MExN): The Inter-Departmental Association (IDA) of St. Joseph University, Dimapur on Sunday informed that owing to the lack of response and responsibility from the University authority to resolve issues faced by the students of the institute, it has decided to boycott the online Freshers’ Meet for undergraduate students to be held on September 2.
Various Departmental Associations, along with the IDA, had written representations and had tried multiple times to reach out to the authority in person and through telephone to discuss various issues regarding online exams, marks evaluation, hostel and bus fees, teachers’ salary, etc, the IDA stated on Sunday.
“But they did not entertain us,” it added.
On July 28, the IDA had submitted an ultimatum with the deadline as August 5, which has since expired without any communication from the University authorities.
The Students’ Council and the IDA combined, had to issue a press release in the local dailies on August 6.
“However, till the filing of this press release, the authority is yet to give any written clarification as had been demanded,” it added.
It further alleged that students have been forced to undertake online exams despite great stress and difficulties. The verbal assurances that unused transportation and hostel mess fees would be reimbursed to the students have not been fulfilled as yet, nor have teachers been credited of their pending salary, the IDA said.
The Controller of Examinations has still not clarified how internal marks and final grades will be calculated causing a lot of tension and confusion among students, it said, while adding that the Controller “refuses to answer phone calls made to seek any clarification.”
To show the dissatisfaction of the students, the IDA said that it has decided that all students of St Joseph University, both freshers as well as intermediate students, will boycott the online Freshers’ Meet.
It is also decided that all students should strictly refrain from further paying tuition fees for the ensuing semester until the University fulfils all the genuine demands of the students, it informed.
The IDA also objected to the ‘unofficial and casual’ approach of the University administration in disseminating crucial information to the students “through WhatsApp forwards, without any official letterheads, signature and other necessary details, which creates more confusion among students.”
It alleged that communication with the University authorities has reached a deadlock as they have blocked the mobile numbers of most of the student representatives.
“Moreover, we have been asked to leave the University premises every time we tried to meet the authorities in person,” it added.
The IDA appealed to all the students’ organisations, civil societies, political parties, government officials, ministers, MLAs and all stakeholders to intervene and help the students.
