Central University of Kerala students stir over high food bill

KASARGOD: As Central University of Kerala (CuK) students continue their hunger strike, officials clarified that excess expenditure forced the decision to stop all contract works. Since the contracts end by April 15, students will have to bear their food expenses. They also complained that the university was not letting the research scholars remain on the campus.

Four students are on a hunger strike before the university - Akshara S. Raj, Sonu S. Pappachan, Vijay Kumar V.K., and Archana P.R. Students council secretary V. Aishwarya said it would continue until their demands are met.  “We came here to study, not to pay from our pockets for the food prepared on the campus,” she said. 

“All the other universities are allowing research scholars to stay in the hostel for an extra year, other than the stipulated four years. Only the CuK is an exception.”
They also complained that in the rooms that can house only two, the authorities added one more, making them congested.  There are 390 girls and 160 boys in the three CUK hostels. 

The cook at the mess gets a salary of Rs 18,000, and the students will have to raise the amount. However, officials said the decision was taken after the UGC pointed out expenditure excess and asked to cut down on contract jobs including cooks, helper and cleaning staff.  They pointed out that in the two hostels in Thiruvananthapuram, the students are managing the mess. They added that the research scholars should vacate after four years to accommodate newcomers.