NIT Silchar protest: Director gives verbal assurance to remove Dean (Academics); students demand written assurance

Agitating students at the NIT Silchar in Assam’s Cachar district have refused to budge, despite Director of the premier learning institute, Dilip Kumar Baidya today reached out and appealed them to call-off the ongoing strike.

Students leaders speaking to Northeast Live, informed that the Director assured them to remove BK Roy as Dean (Academics) within a day or two. However, the verbal assurance could not convince the protesting students and they decided to go ahead with the hunger strike which has entered it’s 5th day today. The students are demanding written assurance from the NIT Director.

One of the agitators said, “Our protest will end when they will give in writing assuring us that the demands will be fulfilled. We had discussion with Director Sir, discussed on the key points. But for us there was no conclusive point. We wanted that the Director gives us written confirmation on all the points, after which we are ready to call off the protest. He said that in a day or two he will remove the Dean Academics, but he did not give any written confirmation. He also did not give written confirmation that no action will be taken against the agitating students. We have no information about the constitution of the High Level Committee, as to who would be the members, what will be its purpose, whether students representatives will be included or not. There is no written confirmation on our points.’

“After that each of the protesting students are of the opinion that the hunger strike will continue,” the student leader added.

Another student who is also part of the ongoing protest informed that the a notice has been issued by the NIT authorities stating that the strike be called-off or else stern action against will be initiated, besides closing down the educational institute immediately.

In response to this, the student said, “If the institute is shut, we will continue to stay here and carry on with our protest.”

Also Read: NIT Silchar Suicide Case: Authorities appeal students to call off protest, not force authorities to close institute indefinitely