Kalyani, Feb. 9: Around 40 students of the Kalyani-based Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) who had been boycotting classes since February 2 began an indefinite hunger strike today demanding a discussion with Union human resource development officials about "poor academic infrastructure and facilities".

Students enrolled in BTech courses in information technology and computer science engineering have accused the institute's mentor-director, Ajoy Kumar Roy, of indifference and had written to the HRD minister seeking an audience.

Roy, the director of the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, is officiating as the mentor-director of IIIT Kalyani.

Today, 37 boys and three girls of BTech third-year information technology and computer science engineering departments started the hunger strike from 9am in front of a hostel.

"We have received a mail from the directorate of the IIIT cell of the HRD ministry assuring us that the issues raised by us would be solved within seven days. We have received such assurances many times earlier, but nothing happened. So we decided to remain firm on our demand for a talk. If the authorities are sincere enough, they can solve the problem," said Shivendra Pratap Singh, a student of third-year BTech.

Today, an assistant professor came to the hostel as a representative of the mentor-director and persuaded the students to withdraw their agitation assuring that their grievances were being looked into. However, the students turned down his request.

Mentor-director Roy said: "There are certain problems which are being looked into. The students have already been shifted to the new campus."