Maharshtra: Satara Medical College students on Hunger strike for college shift

Mumbai: The Institute of Medical Science and Research, Satara students started an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Wednesday. The students are staging a protest to urge the state government to shift them to a regularized college. The Institute of Medical Science and Research has been denied the Directorate of Medical Science and Research’s approval, for not following the centralized admission process.

The students have yet to get the exam results of the first academic year, commencing 2014, and have also not been shifted to a regularized college, despite state government’s support and assurance for the same.

The state government did submit a written petition for the students in the Supreme court for regularization of admission, through shift to another college, however implementation in the direction, has yet to come.

Neha Sankhe, a student of the college, revealed that they were finally allowed to appear for exams following a SC order in 2015 .The college was asked to pay penalty of Rs 20 lakh per student, she further added.

"It was only after 10% of the penalty was paid that we were allowed to appear for exams, but results were withheld. We then approached the admission regulation committee, but after that, only those who failed were asked to appear for re-exam," revealed student, Sachin Gupta to the Midday.

Pramod Dhande, one of the parents, said, "After challenging it again in the Supreme Court, in September 2016, the state filed an affidavit in support of students. The case was again dismissed. Now we are waiting for the state to act on its words."

Dr Pravin Shingare, Director, DMER remained unavailable for comment.