Poor infrastructure force students to go on hunger strike

Siliguri, June 8 (UNI) Several students of Jalpaiguri Government Engineering College have boycotted their final year examination and went on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the fulfilment of all the vacant posts of teaching staff.

The striking students said they went on hunger strike since last morning alleging that the recruitment authority had failed to fill up the vacant posts.

'' We have taken up the way of hunger strike and will continue till our demands are fulfilled,'' said Paramita Das, a student of the college.

There are about 101 striking students from three trades- Computer Science, Information Technology and Electronics, sources said.

Students Union secretary Sameer Sau told UNI that they have send a letter to President A P J Abdul Kalam apprising of the college's present condition.

''However, we have not received any response from the President so far, but we hope for the best,'' he added.

The students, who were worried about their future, said the college started the three trades in 2000, but none of the departments was having sufficient infrastructure or manpower.

''We are facing lot of problems as there insufficient teachers or lack of proper equipment in the laboratory,'' the secretary said adding that they have informed West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Technical Education Director Sajal Biswas in this regard but no steps were taken by them even.

He also alleged that the Information Technology department had no teacher, whereas, Electronics and Computer Science departments had only two and one teacher respectively.

UNI