Bhubaneswar, Nov. 23: Students of various engineering colleges under the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), who had been on strike since last Wednesday, called off their agitation following a meeting with the university vice-chancellor.

Vice-chancellor J.K. Satpathy assured the students that data on fee structure would be collected from individual colleges and details would be sent to the fee structure committee. The erring colleges would be warned against collection of excess fee. The agitating students, among others, had been demanding for a uniform fee structure in the affiliated colleges.

Several students, under the banner of BPUT Students Organisation (BSO) had locked up the building for over a week and had been camping before the BPUT camp office here. Their demands included excess fees collection by colleges, establishing a central placement cell and publication of results in time among others.

Students’ representatives said during the meeting it was decided that there would be proper evaluation of exam papers and qualified teachers would be engaged to check papers. Similarly, BPUT assured the students’ grievance cell would be operational within a few months.

“We had also demanded the release of “welfare money” to the beneficiary students who had lost the principal earning member of their families. In such cases the varsity offers monetary assistance to such students. However, the money was not being released since 2007. There are about 300 such beneficiaries,” said Biswadeep Mishra, a student.

“The VC has agreed to release the amount from this academic session and it’s a very happy news for us,” said Mishra.

“Overall, it was a fruitful discussion and we have decided to call off the strike,” said Satish Sharma, a student.

After six days of remaining locked, normal office work resumed at the camp office today.

“The matter has been resolved and everything is back to normal,” said registrar P.K. Sathpathy.