Students protest on the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya campus in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 3: Students locked the main gate of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya for several hours demanding reinstatement of 19 guest lectures who resigned yesterday.

The protest continued for about five hours and students shouting slogans against the management. They went away after announcing to continue the protest tomorrow.

Angry students threw eggs and tomatoes on the effigies of the principal and two other teachers.

The students, who began the protests on October 28, had been protesting against “negligence and mismanagement” at the college. They have been demanding regularisation of the guest lecturers.

At present, the college has 19 guest lecturers and five regular teachers.

“Owing to the ongoing strike, the principal and few others blamed the guest lectures of instigating us to launch a protest. Unable to tolerate the continuous mental harassment, all the 19 teachers resigned yesterday,” said Kabiraj Pradhan, a student.

“We demand all our teachers be immediately reinstated in their jobs with respect,” said Jharana Rani, another student.

The students alleged that despite the admission process getting over by June every year, classes start only in October. The college authorities spend two months conducting interviews for the appointment of guest lecturers.

“Our time is wasted. At the end of the term, the course is not completed and we suffer. Can’t they do away with this useless procedure?” said Surabhi, another student.

The students demand that teachers be appointed on five or six-year contracts. “This would save a lot of our time,” said Pradhan.

The students also opposed the government’s move to conduct an Orissa Public Service Commission examination for the appointment of regular teachers.

“Most guest lecturers have been teaching continuously for five years. They are experienced and competent. But they will not be eligible to sit for the service commission exam, because they have surpassed the age limit. Instead of them, some inexperienced teachers will be appointed,” a student said.

College authorities were not available for comment.