Students Stage Protest Against University Management in Bengaluru
Students of Allied Health Science courses at Presidency University, Bengaluru, staged a protest on October 10th, alleging that the university authorities cheated them by collaborating with a blacklisted private entity ‘Emversity’. As per the UGC, universities are prohibited from offering degree programmes through franchising arrangement. The authorities snatched the phones and ID cards of the students and threatened to terminate them when they asked for clarity on the UGC notice.
Gen-Z Protesters Around the World Rage Against Government Apathy
In recent weeks, Gen-Z protesters rose in rage against governments across Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, and Morocco. ‘One Piece’ became a symbol for many of these protests. Rage against corruption engulfed Peru’s Capital, overthrowing the President. Social media became a powerful tool for these protests especially after the uprising in Nepal. The common factor in all these protests was the demand for better public services and increased spending on health and education, and against inequality, corruption and nepotism of leaders.
Forestry Students Stage Protest in Karnataka’s Shivamogga
BSc students from the College of Agricultural Sciences in Karnataka’s Shivamogga, staged a protest on October 14th, demanding that a BSc Forestry course be made the minimum qualification for the posts of ACF, RFO and DRFO. The protesting students stated that the number of posts for ACF and RFO were decreased from 75% in 2012 to 50% in 2018, and that the DRFO posts were filled up through promotions, denying oppurtunities to many BSc Forestry students. Additionally, the committee formed in 2024 pertaining to the demands of the students, has not shown any signs of development since then.
JNU Students Booked and Detained After Protests Over ABVP’s Hooliganism
On October 18th, left-Affiliated members of the JNUSU took out a protest against the hooliganism of ABVP. The protests were called after JNUSU president Nitish Kumar accused ABVP members of assaulting him, holding him hostage, and shouting casteist slurs at him. The protests were met with police brutality and FIR against six students including JNUSU president Nitish Kumar, its vice-president Manisha and general secretary Munteha Fatima.
Students Across the Country Rise Against Sexual Violence on Campus
Protests erupted across campuses in October over cases of sexual assault against female students. In Pondicherry, at least 200 students protested outside the VC’s office at Pondicherry Central University on October 9th demanding action against two professors. Students in SAU campus, Delhi, protested on October 14th over the sexual assault of a student by four men including a security guard inside the campus, alleging victim blaming by the authorities. In West Bengal’s Durgapur, students and activists gathered on October 11th to protest against the gang-rape of a medical student on October 10th. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, rape of an engineering college student led to the arrest of the perpetrator Jeevan Gowda on October 15th. These incidents of sexual assaults have raised questions about women’s safety, defunct Committees Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) and administrative indifference.
