When the Ambedkar University Delhi administration refused to keep the library open till 8 pm on weekends, the students decided to 'occupy' the library. The Student Council of AUD has been repeatedly requesting the administration to extend library and computer lab timings on campus but when nothing seemed to work, they decided to break rules and occupy the library even after closing time this weekend.
The University shuts the library and the computer lab at 5 pm on weekends while they remain open till 8 pm on weekdays. The students want the timings to be extended to 8 pm on weekends as well, even though what they feel would be ideal is to have a 24/7 library. "We already share the campus space with another University and barely have any space on campus. The only thing we have is the library and the computer lab and even that is shut," an SFI member on campus said. AUD shares their campus with the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTU) and have a serious space constraint on campus, the students say.
AUD, which functions out of a heritage building, doesn't have any hostels on campus either and actually shares the hostel space in IGDTU. AUD occupies 40 beds and these beds are mostly provided to BA students and very few MA students. "For people who don't have access to laptops or WiFi, the library and the computer lab are the only ways to get any work done," a student said. Several requests for extension of timings, have been made to the VC who has also repeatedly assured the students that they will make changes. But the students say, the administration never go through with it. "They've been saying they'll change timings for the last six months. But nothing has happened," the SFI member said.
Even the classrooms on campus are shut as soon as class gets over and so the students are not allowed to sit there as well. "They say that someone might steal the AC, so they have to shut the classrooms," the student added. Tired of the administration's indifference, the students decided to launch an 'occupy protest' and on April 27. they remained in the library past 5 pm. Since it was a Saturday, there were not too many staff on campus but the students say the guards remained outside as they sat. The University has three campuses, and two of them face this issue.
The students are planning on continuing the protest next weekend as well, in case they receive no positive response from the administration.
