Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 10:
Police had to open blank fire to disperse a group of agitating students of Government Polytechnic, Takyel today.
The students were demanding postponement of the ongoing entrance tests for admission to diploma engineering course at the institute today.
Many candidates who applied for admission into the diploma course could not sit for the entrance test due to the strike launched by the Polytechnic students since yesterday, sources said.
The students decided to launch their strike demanding the implementation of the demands which were agreed upon by the Government last year.
They have opposed the termination of five part-time lecturers while there is inadequate strength of teaching staff.
They have also raised many other demands to the Government.
Th Baneswar, general secretary of the Govt.Polytechnic Students' Union said that the student body already made an appeal to the principal and the candidates not to hold the entrance test till the reaching of a final solution to the agitation.
The students collected some documents and admit cards of candidates who were to appear in today's entrance test.
But, the principal attempted to hold the entrance test allowing the candidates to appear without admit cards, he said.
They then tried to enter into the complex of the institute to meet the principal for an appeal to postpone the entrance test.
But, unfortunately the police on duty fired some rounds towards them.
The students received minor injuries while fleeing from the police, he added.
With the incident, the student body has appealed to all the candidates who applied for the pharmacist course not to appear in the entrance test on August 12.It warned that it shall not be responsible for the occurrence of any untoward incident if occurred to any of the candidates.
The termination of five lecturers of Civil and Mechanical subjects on August 3 at a time when there is still shortage of lecturers is a challenge to the careers of the students, he said.
The students decided to continue the ongoing agitation till the fulfillment of their demands which include the implementation of the agreement reached on September 25 last year.
The other demands are the cancellation of termination of part time lecturers till the appointment of full time lecturers, improvement of the library, equipment and infrastructures.