New Delhi: In a new twist to the
agitation over the status of DTU, final year students who were
leading the protest so far, appeared in the rescheduled exams
even as their juniors of all three years boycotted them and
donated blood to press for their demands.
The rescheduled mid-semester examination, according to
the Delhi Technological University authorities, that began
today saw 602 students of final year appearing while only 35
of Ist and IIIrd year took part. There are about 3,000
students in the university.
"Around 2,000 of us gathered at Japanese park early
morning to press for our demands. As a mark of protest we did
not appear for the exams. Instead, we went to three hospitals
-- RML, LNJP and AIIMS -- to donate blood demanding DCE from
the govt," said a student leader.
The protesting students said they would continue with
the agitation till their demands were met.
The students are protesting over two primary demands
-- conversion of Delhi Technical University to Delhi College
of Engineering and removal of Vice Chancellor P B Sharma.
A student leader in the fourth year, who took the
exams, said, "Final year students appeared in large numbers in
the exams because they have pressure from the authorities and
the companies which have hired them. But we carried out a
symbolic protest by wearing black bands."
Meanwhile, the university issued an appeal to the
students and parents to encourage their wards to appear in the
remaining of the mid-semester exams, which will continue till
April 3, so that they do not suffer an "irreparable" loss.
"It is hoped that the above advice will be taken with
all seriousness by the students and their parents," the DTU
authorities said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had intervened
in the matter, asking student leaders to appear in the
rescheduled exams. She had also told them that their two
primary demands will not be met.
After the meeting, Dikshit had informed the state
assembly that the impasse at the DTU was over.
With the students, including DTU student president
Ravi Shekhar, Nitin Baraiya, boycotting the exams earlier, the
institute had postponed its semester exams on March 17 till
March 29. Only 80 out of total 3,000 students had appeared in
the exams earlier.
-PTI
