Parties promise new hostels to violence-free campus

He said last year,the PUCSC had promised upgradation of infrastructure,especially in the laboratories and workshops of pharmacy,BMS,UICET and UIET departments,but nothing happened. “Last year’s council never visited the departments to listen to the grievances and visited the hostels just once throughout the year,” he added.

The SOPU released a 30-point manifesto. The list includes reduction of fees,reduction of required attendance to appear for exams from 75 per cent to 60 per cent,ensuring a ‘women-friendly campus’ and reduction in instances of eve-teasing,smart classrooms in all departments,industrial training and summer workshops,free wi-fi facilities in all departments,household insurance,better parking facilities,increase in scholarships,better mess and canteen facilities,one new hostel each for boys and girls,increased financial packages for activation of placement cell,implementation of teacher evaluation system and better facilities at the library.

The SOPU has also made department-specific promises. The manifesto mentions a playground and students’ centre at UIET and BDS on the south campus,application-based syllabus and computer facilities for law and arts and smart labs and reappearing facility for sciences. They have promised better sports facilities and various fests. SOPU will press for an increase in the PUCSC funds so that promises can be met.

For the NSUI and ABVP,ensuring non-violence on the campus is their main agenda. The other issues that the NSUI will raise include ensuring transparency in the dissemination of PUCSC funds,making more qualified and better trained teachers available in all departments,making at least 10 computers available in all departments,increasing the computers in the library from 20 to at least 50,renovating department buildings,better mess facilities in all hostels,ensuring building of a market on the south campus,especially for the convenience of girls,building of a library on the south campus,making the entire campus wi-fi-enabled,and ensuring international seminars and conferences in departments.

The ABVP has made four main promises. Apart from ensuring a violence-free campus,they will try to improve the infrastructural facilities,ensure availability of better jobs through an improved placement cell and building of two new hostels for boys as well as girls. “We will try to ensure that most of the student issues are addressed by us and the problem of frequent violent incidents are curtailed by as much as possible,” said ABVP president Parvesh Chandel.