‘Occupy UGC’: Students’ protest enters 29th day; more to follow

As the protests of the student groups on the government’s response towards Non NET fellowships reached its 29th day, the students on Wednesday marched towards the MHRD office at Shastri Bhawan to provide a memorandum of their demands to the Union Minister Smriti Irani. 

The student groups however, were stopped 100 meters away from MHRD office at Shastri Bhawan unlike last time when they had voiced their demands in front of Smriti Irani herself. “We believe that this government is not sincere and they are just trying to dilute and delay the issue by setting up a review committee. Furthermore now by introducing the issue of adding merit towards granting of fellowships, the government will be playing to preferences and favouritism,” said Anubhuti of JNU.

Kanhaiya Kumar, the president of the students’ union, JNU stated: “Earlier, when she saw a large media coverage, Smriti Irani stepped out to show her concern but with no media present today, she does not want to meet us. It was all a sham.”

With the WTO conference in Nairobi from December 15-18, the protests will only intensify. On November 26, a teacher’s body will march towards Parliament followed by an All India Forum for 

right to education protest on December 9.