There is currently a controversy brewing at OP Jindal Global University in India. A video surfaced on Tuesday showing a kitchen staff member using their feet to crush cooked potatoes. This has caused an uproar among students protesting against the management due to poor hygiene conditions. As a result, students refuse to eat in the mess on campus. 


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According to many students and parents, poor hygiene conditions have been an ongoing issue for the past few years rather than a one-time occurrence. The Students Council frequently faces a difficult situation where they are stuck between the management and the disgruntled students. In a separate incident, a hostel was plagued by bedbugs, and despite the students' repeated complaints, nothing effective was done to resolve the problem.


On Tuesday evening, a video about unhygienic food practices went viral. The University's Professor and Registrar, Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, emailed parents in response. He stated that the matter had been taken seriously, and the university had immediately addressed it by ensuring that members of the JGU community would not consume the food material. As a further measure, a Show Cause notice was issued to the CEO of Sodexo India, requesting a written explanation and assurances on the matter.


Patnaik and his team have inspected the kitchen and dining areas to address any issues. They have met with all parties involved, including students and Sodexo's top leadership, including the Country Director. Notably, Sodexo, a prominent player in the food industry, has been operating the canteen and kitchen at OP Jindal Global University without any CCTV cameras to oversee hygiene standards.


Sodexo's Nitin Trikha responded to the registrar's email regarding a viral video of alleged unhygienic practices carried out by the cooking staff at O P Jindal University. Despite the video being circulated by the students, Trikha refers to the incident as "alleged" in his response to both the registrar and the parents. He informed them of the steps that have already been taken to address the complaints received and assured them that further action is currently underway.


Despite Sodexo's efforts to thoroughly clean and isolate the affected kitchen areas, students still refuse  from eating in the mess. Strangely enough, despite the mandatory requirement for closed circuit cameras in educational institutions, the kitchen premises on OP Jindal University's campus have yet to have any installed. In response, Sodexo has stated that they will provide a robust and detailed plan, which will include the installation of CCTV cameras, technology for supervision, and strict disciplinary action against the responsible employee.


JGU has achieved the top spot as the best private university in India, according to the esteemed QS World University Rankings 2023. However, students have expressed their disappointment with the university's facilities, stating that there is little that is world-class here. For instance, a third-year student from one of JGU's 12 schools has complained of frequent food poisoning. Despite the issue, the medical officer advised the student not to blame the mess or the quality of food on campus.


According to reports, a few students got suspended for sharing their experiences on social media. For the past few months, students have been unhappy with the quality of the drinking water at the campus. The water appears murky and contains a lot of sediment. It's worth noting that students have been facing this issue of lousy drinking water for the last 18 months.



The students voiced further complaints.


Students have reported that campus life is challenging for reasons beyond food and hygiene. The management has been unable to regulate narcotics, leading to increased security measures such as random frisking. A senior student stated, "Due to drug use, we are now subjected to random frisking without regard for our privacy. Our private parts are even searched, which is humiliating." Emails sent to the University Registrar have gone unanswered at the time of publication.


According to students, commuting is a problem on the OP Jindal University campus, which covers 80 acres in Sonipat, Haryana. The campus' size and location make it difficult for students to leave and eat outside. Additionally, students up to their third year need parental approval to exit the campus.


Many students on campus have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of transportation options. Walking is often the only means of getting from one place to another, and the campus does not provide any cycles or buses. This can be particularly challenging during the summer when moving between schools and buildings becomes more difficult.