Students study in the open to protest poor condition of classroom at Ravenshaw

Cuttack: Students of Ravenshaw University staged a unique protest on Thursday by attending a class outside the vice-chancellor’s office to highlight the unsafe and dilapidated condition of their classrooms.

A faculty member even joined them conducting lessons in the open to ensure the syllabus was completed on time.“Our classrooms are in a terrible state — the ceiling leaks and is damaged. It feels unsafe to sit inside. We’ve been complaining for months, but no one seems to care. On Thursday while entering the classroom, one portion of the ceiling fell on the floor. Fortunately, no one was injured,” said Tapas Kumar Nayak, a student of Ravenshaw University, Odia department.“We have submitted several complaints but in vain. What started as a few cracks has now turned into a dangerous situation. We had no choice but to hold our classes on the street as since the last 20 days, we have been finding rooms to attend classes,” Madhumayee Mishra, a Plus III second year arts student of Odia department. “I have informed all higher authorities about the poor condition of the classrooms, but no one seems to pay attention,” said Dr Asish Sahoo, assistant professor, Odia department, Ravenshaw University.

“I was left with no option but to take my classes on the street,” he added.University registrar Kahnu Charan Mallick assured the students that necessary steps were being taken to address the issue. “The concerned classroom will be repaired within 10 days. We have already initiated the process and will ensure that students can return to a safe learning environment soon,” added MallickMeanwhile, the demonstration drew attention from other departments, with many expressing solidarity with the students. The protesters called upon the university administration to prioritise student safety and infrastructure maintenance to prevent such situations in the future.