Action against pvt colleges demanded

Hanamkonda: A group of activists of several student organisations staged a dharna in front of Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari’s house, demanding action against private colleges that were subjecting students to academic pressure.

The leaders of TSF, TGVP, PDSU and AISB, K Sunil, M Ranjith, D Saraiah, M A Hakim Naveed and others have staged a dharna, displaying placards at Srihari’s residence at Teachers Colony in Hanamkonda on Tuesday. Referring to an incident of an intermediate student attempting suicide on Monday in the city, the student activists have complained that the college managements have been enforcing undue pressure on the students to perform better.

The students were forced to undergo long hours of study beyond their capacity. As a result, the students in tender age were committing suicides, unable to bear the pressure. The managements of private educational institutions were throwing the lives of students into danger, in a bid to protect their own interests, they complained.

The protesting activists demanded the Deputy CM, who holds education portfolio, to respond on the issue with immediate effect to protect the lives of innocent students. The government must issue directive to the college managements regarding academic plan and teaching hours.

If the government fails to act, all the student organisations in Telangana would take up series of protests, they warned. The activists have also wanted action against Ekasila Junior College management, where a student K Sindhuja attempted suicide.

The college management must bear the costs of treatment of the student, they demanded. The police arrested the protesting activists and taken them to Subedari police station and let them off later.