Sambalpur, Jan. 13: Students of Gangadhar Meher (Autonomous) College today boycotted classes and staged a demonstration outside the office of the collector, demanding unitary university status for the institution.

The students shouted slogans in front of the office before submitting a memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

'We want the government to accord university status to our college. Though the Gangadhar Meher College is the biggest institution in the state, the state government is yet to accord it the status,' said former secretary of G.M. College Students' Union Praksha Dang.

'If the government does not take necessary step, we will be compelled to intensify our agitation,' said Dang.

The students had also staged a demonstration on the campus of the institution, demanding the university status on January 8.

'The college fulfils all the criteria to become a university. It has the required land, student strength and infrastructure. However, the institution is yet to get the same. We will not tolerate such injustice. If the government does not take the necessary steps within 15 days, we will be forced to boycott classes for indefinite period of time,' said president of the students' union Milan Hota.

District collector Balwant Singh assured the students that the memorandum would be forwarded to the appropriate forum.

Established in 1944, the college offers 18 undergraduate courses, 16 postgraduate courses, seven MPhil courses, three pre-doctoral courses, five self-financing courses and three vocational courses. The institution was declared autonomous college in 1991. Built on 38 acres, the college has 5,000 students.

Residents of the city, under the aegis of the Sachetan Sambalpur Nagarik Mancha, had met on January 2 in support of their demand for the university status.