AU students protest over hostel food quality, campus safety

AU Vice Chancellor Prof. Raja Sekhar addresses protesting students on the university campus in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
K.R Deepak

Andhra University hostelers stage a protest at the Registrar’s office on the campus in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
K.R Deepak

Protests erupted on the Andhra University campus on Wednesday led by various hostelers, over the alleged substandard food being served in hostels, with a lizard reportedly found in one of the meals served recently. This marks the third protest by the university students concerning welfare and lack of facilities within the past year under the N. Chandrababu Naidu-led government

Raising slogans against the university management and the coalition government, student leaders and activists alleged that the quality of food, education and safety on the university campus has deteriorated. The accused the university of charging high fees from students and failing to provide proper education.

They protests began on Tuesday (July 22) night and continued untill Wednesday (July 23) afternoon.

All India Students Federation secretary (for AU), Jetti Abhishek said that the students have sought immediate intervention of Higher Education Minister Nara Lokesh. “We also urged the university management to fill the vacant teaching posts, reduce mess charges, improve the quality of food served and provide basic infrastructure in the hostels,” he added.

Mr. Abhishek said that the protest began at 9 p.m. on July 22, but the university management did not respond and instead sent a police team to foil the students protest.

The students also criticised the appointment of unqualified guest faculty and said: “We do not want guest faculty who are not suitable for teaching posts at university level.” Additionally, they highlighted that there were frequent power cuts and many secluded spots in the university lacked lighting, leading to unauthorised persons entering the campus and engaging in anti-social activities such as drinking alcohol in public places on the campus.

Responding to the protest, Vice Chancellor Prof. GP Raja Sekhar said that the issues of the students would be resolved within the next month. He added that students would be invited to form a special task force to monitor food quality at hostels.