Bad hostel food disrupted classes on Monday at Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ), in Brambe near Ranchi, when around 500 students staged a demonstration on campus.

CUJ has 16 blocks of hostels with 1,000 residents, almost half of the varsity's 2,158 students.

Though students had earlier complained about the food, coupled with what they said were "exorbitant and arbitrary charges" of Rs 26,000 per year, payable in six-month slabs of Rs 13,000, never had protests taken such a grim turn.

On Monday, the sprawling campus was dotted with students protesting against half-cooked rice and rajma, watery dal, dirty kitchens with free access to stray dogs and rates the university charges for the "inedible food".

Sensing trouble, CUJ authorities locked the gate of administrative building.

Trouble started brewing from Saturday evening, when hundreds of students approached the university's dean of student welfare S.K. Samdarshi, complaining food served to them was fit to be thrown out.

"We asked the dean to personally check the food served to us. We gave our authorities time," said a student. "But, when the situation did not improve even today (Monday), we decided to agitate."

"Bad food is a perennial problem here. Whatever we are served is of poor quality, half-cooked and of bad taste. Anytime you go, you can see dogs freely roam in the kitchen," said another student.

"To add to this, we pay Rs 13,000 for six months for bad food, which works out to over Rs 2,000 a month," he added.

"Substandard food apart, the university stays closed during festivals and vacations, which works out to two months. Why should we pay for these two months?" he said.

In March 2014, students protested against the university for bad food and for ordering to pay two months' mess charges in advance. They vandalised university property. Then, the varsity had withdrawn advance payment order and decided students would pay for food against actual consumption on a daily basis.

In November 2014, students again protested over food to which university authorities assured action and said students' representatives would be roped in for quality monitoring. But, it did not happen.

This year in June, once again CUJ imposed the advance payment order, making it compulsory for students Rs 13,000 for six months for food. No action was taken against the private catering group JSS, students alleged.

Now, better-off students buy food from outside. Those who can't afford it eat at the university.

Students alleged that CUJ authorities threatened to expel them or take other punitive actions if students protested against the mess in the kitchen or any varsity mismanagement.

Caught on the back foot, Rahul Chaturvedi, CUJ chief communications manager, denied the protest and disruption of classes.

"CUJ is like a family. Sometimes, disputes do take place. Students have complained about the poor quality of food. It will be resolved. But, there was no protest on campus and students attended classes. The caterer will be asked about the complaint," he said.

At the time of filing the report, varsity authorities had called students for a meeting for an amicable solution.