Bhubaneswar, Nov. 8: Students of six major colleges in Cuttack today boycotted their classes, protesting the Centre’s move to privatise Nalco.

Students of Ravenshaw College, Stewart Science College, Sailobala Women’s College, JKBK College, Indira Gandhi Women’s College and Christ College skipped classes, responding to the boycott call given by the National Students Union of India. However, examinations in several colleges were not affected. The Civil Services (main) examination in Ravenshaw College was also not interrupted.

R.K. Kar, principal of Ravenshaw College, said members of the Students’ Action Committee of the NSUI circulated leaflets in support of the students’ agitation in Dhenkanal last week. The students locked up the main gates of the college but these were later opened.

On Saturday, NSUI supporters in Dhenkanal, Angul and Talcher had disrupted rail and road traffic to protest the privatisation of Nalco. The students had blocked National Highway 42, linking Cuttack and Sambalpur.

The Centre has already put the “due diligence” of Nalco on hold after visiting Hindalco officials were roughed up by Nalco employees at their smelter plant in Angul last week. Though the visiting officials were given police protection, the protestors punctured their car tyres. Besides Hindalco, there are 13 other companies in the list for “due diligence” of Nalco. These are Sterlite, Pechiney, Glencore, Russian Aluminium, Alcoa, BHP and Alcan.