Fasting Ravenshaw students suspend stir for a week

"We have suspended our hunger-strike for a week following assurances from the university vice-chancellor. But we have also submitted a memorandum that we will resume it if our demands are not fulfilled within the deadline," Bikram Jena, a post graduate student of journalism and mass communication who has been on fast along with 12 others said.

Earlier, vice-chancellor B C Tripathy, registrar Smarapriya Mishra, deputy registrar Padman Jena and other officials met the hunger-strikers and gave a written assurance stating that at least six of their demands would be fulfilled within a week.

The vice-chancellor also immediately appointed a teacher to officiate as acting Head of the Department until a permanent one was appointed.

Among other demands, the vice-chancellor has agreed to two more classrooms, adequate faculties, funds for study tours and seminars, a committee to estimate the expenditure for Ravenshaw TV, and revamping of the syllabus with introduction of special papers.

The students had launched the hunger-strike on Wednesday morning. Five students, including three girls, were hospitalised in between after they were taken ill.