Meghalaya: After NEHU, Now NEIAH PG Trainees Launch Indefinite Hunger Strike, Says “Our Degrees Are at Stake”

The protesting students demanded the authorities to immediately address their concerns to ensure that their academic progress is not further hindered.

Reported by Purbasha Bhattacharjee | Copy edited by Lipika Roy

Just a week after the 16-day hunger strike by North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) students in Shillong, Meghalaya was temporarily suspended, fresh protests have erupted at the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH).

This time, a group of 8 Post Graduate Trainees (PGTs) from NEIAH launched an indefinite hunger strike on November 26 over a series of unresolved issues including the lack of clarity on the institute’s affiliation to NEHU, unpaid stipends for a year, and the unavailability of academic guides crucial for their education.

As the protest entered its third day today, a sizeable number of students joined the protest in solidarity, gathering on the college premises with placards as they chanted slogans to press for their demands.

The students have highlighted the unavailability of academic guides, which are essential for their research and progress.

A protesting student said, “We have been sitting on hunger strike since November 26. Our demands are clear: We have not received a single month’s stipend since joining the MD Homeopathy course, despite being promised financial support. Additionally, we found that the college is not yet affiliated with any university, even though we were assured during admission that the affiliation with NEHU would be completed.”

“We were assured during the admission process that NEHU affiliation would be granted, but it hasn’t happened,” the student added.

The protesting students also raised concerns about the lack of academic guidance in their Postgraduate (PG) curriculum and demanded the authorities to immediately address their concerns to ensure that their academic progress is not further hindered.

“According to the guidelines, we should be allotted academic guides within 6 months of admission. However, this has not happened, leaving us without the necessary mentorship for our studies. Without affiliation, our degrees have no validity. Our Degrees are at stake. We want the authorities to fulfill their promises and ensure that we are provided with proper guidance for our academic work,” said the student.

As the hunger strike continues, NEIAH authorities have yet to respond to the students’ demands, but the students have made it clear that they will continue their protest until their demands are met.

NEIAH student protest erupted after a period of unrest at NEHU, where students had earlier staged a 16-day long hunger strike demanding the removal of Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla, citing administrative failures.

While that strike was temporarily suspended on November 20, the new protest at NEIAH has once again put the spotlight on the challenges faced by students in the region.

It may be mentioned here that the protesting students at the NEHU, however, stated that this is not the end of their agitation, and they will continue to protest on weekdays staying at the site until their demands are met.

The hunger strike is further fueling growing concerns about the state of higher education in the Northeast, with both NEHU and NEIAH facing mounting pressure to resolve longstanding issues.

Also Read: NEHU Crisis: Protesting Students Temporarily Suspends Their Hunger Strike after 16 Days

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