Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)
Mangaluru, Jul 27: The students of Sarosh Institute of Hotel Administration on Monday July 27 held a protest against the college management over timings and alleging that it had not provided them various facilities promised in the prospectus, and that the facilities that were available were poor.
"The prospectus mentions that the college hours end at 3.30 pm everyday, but we are asked to be in college till 5 pm. The hostel facility is also poor. We were promised wi-fi connectivity, but it not been given," the students said.
"There is a gym but it has only dumbbells. There is no proper water supply in the college and hostel either," they claimed.
"The college promised free bus service but it is charging Rs 1,500 from each student who opts for bus facility. They can charge if they want to, but they take the shuttle the students in shifts with only a limited number of students taken in a single trip. Due to this, students are late to college and lose attendance," they said.
"We have paid Rs 62,000 as fees. We are not studying in a charitable institution. But even after paying so much we are not getting the facilities promised to us," the students lamented.
"In other colleges students have to stay back till 5 pm only if they have practicals but here college leaves at 5 pm everyday. By the time we reach home it is 8.30 or 9 pm, after which we have assignments to complete. Even in case of family emergencies they do not grant us leave," a student alleged.
"The hostel food is of poor quality and tasteless. Good food is served only to teachers and not to students. There is leakage in hostel and we reported it three weeks ago, but there has been no response. When parents come they are not given respect," another student alleged.
"We do not want to study here. But if we ask for transfer certificate (TC) the management plays games with us and make us run from pillar to post. Third year students are blackmailed saying they will not be allowed to participate in campus selection interviews," the students alleged.
"They will not give us attendance for holding this protest today but we demand that we get attendance," they added.
College denies allegations
Meanwhile, speaking to daijiworld, representative of the college management Mervin Pais denied the allegations levelled by the students and said, "It was never mentioned in the prospectus that college would leave at 3.30 pm. It is mentioned that college hours are between 9 am and 5 pm on weekdays and till 1 pm on Saturdays. Sometimes extra classes are conducted, because as per Mangalore University guidelines, we have to finish a certain number of classes."
Regarding bus facility, he said, "Free bus service was only for hostel students to bring them from hostel to college. For other students who come from their homes we charge for the bus service. It is a hotel management college and not a gymnasium."
About hostel food, he said everybody gets good food prepared under hygenic conditions.
On allegations regarding issual of TC, he said, "There are certain rules when applying for TC. It has to be done from the university. The college management has never prevented anyone from leaving the college. They are free to leave. We are just following rules. All the claims made by students are false."