Students' stir for UCE's unitary status in Orissa

Sambalpur, Aug 23 (UNI) Hundreds of University College of Engineering (UCE) students are staging a peaceful dharna at Burla, demanding unitary status for the institution.

The students, staging dharna since yester had been demanding IIT status for the 52-year old institution, also the first engineering college in Orissa and urged the government to grant the unitary status in line with Revenshaw College.

The students also demanded the transfer of 400-acre vacant land adjacent to the college to UCE, increase in annual grant from Rs five crore to Rs 15 crore and a special grant of Rs 100 crore for developing infrastructure in three years.

The students had threatened to launch fast-unto-death agitation from August 25, besides blocking National Highway six for an indefinite period, if their demands were not considered.

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