Patna University, one of Bihar’s premier educational institutions, has been eerily silent for over a week as an ongoing strike by the employees' union continues to disrupt academic life. Semester exams have been indefinitely postponed, leaving students anxious and uncertain about their future.
Student leaders have expressed mixed reactions to the unfolding crisis.
Anand Mohan, President of the Patna University Student Union, emphasised the union’s support for the workers' demands but strongly criticised the methods employed.
“We support their valid demands, but actions like cancelling exams and locking the premises are unacceptable,” he stated. Mohan highlighted the efforts the student union made to mediate. “We’ve urged the workers’ union to find a middle path — protest peacefully but allow exams to proceed. We’ve also communicated the hardships faced by students to the union leadership.”
In contrast, Ramij Raja, President of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Patna University chapter, pointed fingers at the administration for the prolonged deadlock. “A solution can only be reached if the vice-chancellor and the workers’ union meet. Unfortunately, the VC has not attended scheduled meetings,” he remarked. Raja revealed that as representatives of the students, NSUI members had met with the dean and the proctor at the vice-chancellor’s residence, where they were assured that a resolution will be arrived at soon.
While leaders navigate these negotiations, the impact on students has been severe. Ankit Kumar, a final-year undergraduate, recounted his experience of arriving for an exam on December 6, only to find the campus gates locked.
“Later, we received a notice saying the exams were postponed indefinitely. It’s not just about the money and effort it takes to reach the university — this uncertainty is mentally draining,” he added.
Kumar expressed concerns about further delays. “The winter break starts on December 22, so exams will likely be pushed to January. This will shorten the next semester and disrupt academic schedules. As a final-year student, I worry about how this will impact our preparation for placements and other opportunities.”
Beyond academics, extracurricular activities have also taken a hit. “I’m part of the university’s badminton team, and we were looking forward to an inter-university tournament in December. That’s cancelled too,” he added.
With no clear resolution in sight, students remain stuck in a frustrating limbo, caught between striking workers and an unyielding administration. For now, they can only hope for a swift end to the deadlock that has disrupted not just their exams, but their entire academic and personal schedules.
