Tension on BPUT campus at Pokhariput in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 21: Students of various engineering colleges affiliated to Biju Patnaik Institute of Technology (BPUT) staged protests outside the varsity camp office in the capital. BPUT celebrated its third foundation day in Rourkela today.

The students, under the banner of BPUT Students’ Organisation (BSO), have been on a dharna here for the past five days. They are demanding a central placement cell, uniform fee structure, proper rechecking of exam papers, and adherence to the academic calendar.

Various private engineering colleges in the state under BPUT have also threatened to go on an indefinite strike if the state government does not revamp the functioning of the university within two months.

They alleged that the inefficient functioning of BPUT has forced the students to take admission in other deemed universities or move outside the state, resulting in large-scale vacancies.

“Exams are not held on time, results are delayed, the four-year BTech course has been extended to five years and the two-year MTech course to three years. BPUT is on the verge of a complete collapse,” said Binod Dash, secretary of Orissa Private Engineering College Association (Opeca).

“The much required teachers training programmes are also not being held. The university does not have enough staff members which is the major reason behind this unfortunate situation,” said Dash. The colleges have demanded immediate appointment of sufficient number of staff either by deputation of state government employees or by appointment of retired persons or fresh candidates.

On Thursday, the agitating students turned violent and went on a rampage.

A group of students ransacked the camp office premises, destroyed the windowpanes, documents and furniture after vice chancellor J.K. Satpathy refused to meet and hold a discussion with them. They had also locked the office gates for hours together and let the staff out only after police intervened.

Hundreds of students have continued to stage protest outside the BPUT campus. “We will not budge and will continue the strike until we are allowed to have a direct discussion with the vice-chancellor,” said Dwarika Mohanty of BSO. BPUT registrar P.K. Satpathy said the vice-chancellor has already been informed about the agitation and would be here in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday to meet the students.

The colleges have also called for the amendment of the Orissa Professional Education Act, 2007.

The seat sharing should be in the ratio of 50: 25: 25, which means that 50 per cent of the students would be selected from Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE), 25 per cent through All India Engineering Entrance Examination and 25 per cent sets through management quota, including 15 per cent NRI seats, to be filled at the college level, the colleges affiliated to BPUT have demanded.

On the other hand, OJEE officials said the strike has affected their work since they shared the same office with BPUT. “The VC is incapable of handling students’ issues and must quit. The students are coming here and locking the office for which our work is suffering. Worse, the police, instead of dispersing the unruly students, are giving support to the strike. The VC should either stay in Bhubaneswar or shift the entire office to Rourkela,” said an OJEE official.

Vice chancellor, J.K. Satpathy said: “I understand that the students have some demands and I would meet them once I reach Bhubaneswar. It is true that there is staff shortage in BPUT, but it cannot be solved overnight. We have to follow certain procedures and are pursuing a discussion with the government at a higher forum. Regarding the excess fee collected by some colleges, it is not under my jurisdiction. The fee structure committee of the government would look into it.”