PU student groups demand 25 pc reservation for Puducherry students, to hold an indefinite strike

The picketing of the university which was supposed to be held tomorrow is now postponed due to heavy rains
The university's Vice-Chancellor Gurmeet Singh had declined the proposal on September 25
The university's Vice-Chancellor Gurmeet Singh had declined the proposal on September 25

In a joint press meet, all the student organisations in Pondicherry University decided to call for an indefinite strike outside the university till the authorities agree for a 25 per cent reservation for students who belong to Puducherry. They had also decided to picket the university compound on Friday, demanding the same, but it has been postponed to the next week, owing to heavy rains.

"This is the only university where the students of Puducherry can pursue higher studies. Therefore, by introducing reservations, there is a chance of them getting better opportunities," says A Anand, a student, who is also a member of the SFI Central Executive Committee. A Union Territory, there are 3 universities in Puducherry right now apart from PU — Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), NIT Puducherry and Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth. " JIPMER has a 27 per cent reservation and the NIT has a 50 per cent reservation for students from Puducherry. In that case, why can't Pondicherry University do the same?" Anand questions.

The university's Vice-Chancellor Gurmeet Singh had declined the proposal on September 25. According to a UNI story, he then said that the "genesis of central university is for all students in the country and not for any particular state." But Singh today told us that his statement has been misquoted many times. "It is a central university and we cannot give reservations to students from any particular region. If MHRD permits, we'll go for reservations. I never said that I'll never permit reservations," he says. He said that the university and its authorities always stood for promoting equal education to all.

Singh also said that the university had its fair share of Puducherry students, which is more than 25 per cent. "An introduction of reservation might bring down the per cent of Puducherry students. Anybody who comes here gets admitted," says Singh who also added the protesting students are "getting into the hands of wrong people and must concentrate on academics."

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