‘Mission Campus’ pen-down protest by Sikkim University students has finally ended on Friday late evening after getting a written assurance from Sikkim University authorities to construct the university campus within three years.
Classes are scheduled to be resumed from Monday.
Also read: Sikkim University students stage pen down agitation
On the first day of the protest on Thursday, students sat on dharna with placards highlighting their demands.
The second day of the protest on Friday started with a protest rally demanding early completion of the university campus and other demands.
The rally led by Sikkim University Student’s Association [SUSA] was started from Cauveri Hostel in 5th Mile Tadong and students walked up to the main administrative block of the university situated at 6th Mile Tadong and then students gheroed the administrative block.
SUSA president Lalit Pokhrel Sharma stated that the main demand of students was the permanent campus of the university. He expressed that others universities may not have proper faculty members, libraries or hostel facilities but they have the permanent campus.
“We are neither against nor in favour of anyone. We will not move until we get a written assurance from the authorities,” he expressed.
SUSA also demanded appointment of a permanent Vice Chancellor of the university as the university presently has an officiating VC.
In the afternoon, the executive members of SUSA gave a written statement to the officiating VC Prof Dr JP Tamang on behalf of students with their demands.
After having a meeting with the university’s officials, the VC Prof Tamang addressed the students.
He said that the university fully respects and endorses the demands placed by the students as the demands are legitimate.
Dr Tamang stated that the proposal for campus construction was proposed in 2016 and the work for construction started last year. He explained that an amount of Rs 1600 cr for phase 1 and phase 2 were proposed but the university only received Rs 110 crores.