The non-teaching employees of Patna University (PU) on Tuesday staged a protest at the university's main administrative campus to press their 23-point charter of demands.

Sources said the non-teaching employees abstained from work from 2.30pm to 5pm, causing inconvenience to PU's day-to-day functioning during the examinations. Before the strike, PU vice-chancellor Y.C. Simhadri had warned the employees of serious consequences if the ongoing examinations were disturbed by their agitation.

Simhadri had also assured the employees of steps taken for fulfilling the employees' demands as pay fixation of employees under assured career promotion.

The VC was not present in his chamber during the employees' half-day strike. Sources said the examinations at different colleges under PU were not much affected because they ended around 1pm but the administrative work was badly affected. The accounts, examination and administrative sections wore a deserted look.

Mamta Prasad, a postgraduate passout, who had come to take her provisional pass certificate, said: 'I did not know about the strike. On reaching the administrative campus to submit my application, I found the counters closed.'

PU Employees' Association president Umesh Prasad said: 'The associations are worried over the reluctance of PU authorities to concede their demands despite earlier commitment.'