Cuttack, Aug. 31: Nearly 200 students of Ravenshaw University today boycotted classes and staged a demonstration against the suspension of their batchmates.

On August 28, the varsity authorities suspended 22 students for a period ranging from one to two years for their involvement in earlier agitations.

Sources said 13 students of business administration, information technology and management and information science and technology have been barred from taking the semester tests for two years.

The university's disciplinary committee found them guilty of causing unrest on campus that had led to the cancellation of a semester examination on July 12.

Nine students, mostly from the ITM, have been suspended for one year for disrupting classes and locking up teachers in the department during a protest demonstration on August 6.

"We have launched the movement against the suspension of our batchmates. They have been punished for demanding better facilities at the varsity," said third-year ITM student Ranjan Mohanty.

The students had staged the demonstration for revision of the fee structure on August 6 and 7. They had also launched a hunger strike. "The authorities are playing with our careers. We have not done anything wrong. Though we were told to appeal before the executive council, no step was taken for revocation of the order," said BCom student Rajat Sahu.

"We have detained the students - which means they can appear for their semester examination after completion of their suspension. We have taken this decision to ensure discipline on the campus," said V-C Prakash Sarangi.

Sarangi said a few students had appealed against the varsity's decision before the executive council that was held on August 29.

The council has formed a three-member sub-committee to look into the students' demands. A final decision will be taken after the sub-committee submits its report within one week, Sarangi said. The authorities today kept the suspension order in abeyance.