Alleging inaction, UoH students stage protest against mess food and fee hike

Several students from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) staged a protest on Tuesday, alleging that their civic and academic issues were not being heard by the management of the varsity.

According to reports, over 200 gathered students gathered at the administration building despite being warned against doing so, and raised issues regarding the quality of mess food and the hike in fees.

They also protested against the alleged cancellation of PhD seats, which had been discussed in the University General Body Meeting (UGBM) held on February 9.

The students were irked as many resolutions passed in the UGBM were yet to be taken up by the university administration.

“A committee of faculty members will be holding a discussion with us on Wednesday. The protest is for basic issues and the future generation who will be affected by the seat cut,” Student Union President, Sreerag P, was quoted as saying. 

“The standing committee consists of faculty members who shall be available for a dialogue with students as and when the need arises. There are various factors that affect admissions. However, a final decision on the intake for the two programmes shall be taken during the AC meeting, scheduled for March 19,” UoH spokesperson Vinod Pavarala was quoted as saying.

Earlier this week, students complained that unhealthy food was being cooked in the mess and the quality was so bad that several people were falling sick.

“The dal served at the hostel mess is watery and tasteless. What’s worse, the aalu parathas served to us are never stuffed. Rather, the boiled potatoes are kneaded in with the dough and rolled out. The rotis are half-cooked, making them unfit for consumption,” a student in the Applied Linguistics Department told ToI.

Students demanded that the administration ensure transparency, so that students can oversee the quality of food being cooked and monitor the quality of the raw ingredients used to make the meal.