And, as the 'Occupy UGC' campaign entered the 11th day today, the protesting students slammed the chairman of the commission, Ved Prakash, after he failed today to make it to an event at Jamia Millia Islamia where he was supposed to be one of the speakers. The protesting students alleged that it was an act of "escapism" by him.
Amidst protests by the students against the scrapping of the non-NET fellowship, the government had earlier this week appointed a five-member panel to review the research grants offered by UGC, which, meanwhile, has been asked to continue all existing grants.
Coming out in support of these students, the FTII students' association said in a statement, "The events that have transpired right from the scrapping of the fellowship programme to the police brutality used against the students protesting the decision has stunned and disturbed (us)."
They further made an allegation of a "systemic assault on the education system by the incumbent government".
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On the other hand, after Prakash missed the event at Jamia Millia, the protesting students claimed that the UGC chairman had cancelled his visit to avoid facing students' questions.
The UGC Chairman, however, was not available for comments despite repeated attempts to contact him.
Unable to force the government to scrap the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as FTII chairman, agitating students on October 28 unilaterally withdrew their 139-day strike but vowed to continue protests.