November 18, 2020.
TED NewsDesk, New Delhi: A new row has ensued between the students and the staff members of the prestigious institute over the suicide of Aishwarya Reddy, a second-year student, last week. According to a resolution by the LSR College Staff Council, the college admin is being harassed by the accusations of the student community. The students are accusing the college staff of a total lack of empathy and responsibility towards the problems faced by the students during online classes. The most prominent of these problems is the lack of resources necessary for online learning like laptops and data packs.
According to the resolution, “The Staff Council regrets the fact that those people in college responsible for the implementation of policy, arrived at through deliberative processes, and in consonance with DU guidelines, are being unjustly and personally targeted. The LSR community, including the Principal work together and all decisions are made following due process and with the involvement of all members.”
The suicide of Aishwarya Reddy has also shed light on the faulty hostel policy of LSR. In October, the institution has asked the students to leave their hostel rooms within one month. It caused a great deal of worry to Aishwarya. But now, in lieu of the current events, the college has postponed its decision to make the second-year students vacate the hostels.
The resolution further states,
“The Staff Council would like to reaffirm its commitments to principles of equity and justice. We resolve, and appeal to students too, to redouble our efforts to create a space, whether virtual or real, where no one feels left out emotionally, socially or academically. We also believe that the entire college community — the administration, the teachers, and the students — need to introspect on how to strengthen institutional mechanisms to make the college more inclusive.”
After the death of the B.Sc.Mathematics students, the institution is reviewing its hostel policy which, till now, only allotted seats to first-year students.
“We are also working on earmarking a few seats for some second-and third-year girls to be allotted on the basis of need,” adds the resolution.
In her suicide note, Aishwarya wrote, “Because of me, my family is facing many financial problems. My education is a burden. If I can’t study, I can’t live.” She was found hanging at her home in Telangana on November 2.
Aishwarya is one of many students who do not have enough resources to continue their education online. Still, if universities and colleges keep on ignoring their needs, the situation will turn dire and irreversible. Institutions immediately need to step up and provide students with needs proper resources to continue their education without any problems.
Source: Indian Express
