University of Hyderabad may resume academic activity by weekend: Interim VC

The university had plunged into turmoil earlier this month over Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide

The University of Hyderabad is expected to resume academic activities, at least partly, from Saturday, after it had plunged into turmoil earlier this month over the suicide of Rohith Vemula, one of the five students who were suspended by the University authorities in December last year.

The university interim vice chancellor Vipin Srivastava on Thursday said they were receiving some positive signals from student community as far as the restart of classes were concerned.

"We are going through difficult times, perhaps a serious crisis since the inception of this university. I have some good news. Our science students have agreed to cooperate from today. They have responded positively to our appeal," Srivastava told reporters.

The academic activity came to a stand still after Rohit Vemula, a Dalit research scholar, committed suicide on January 17, triggering a nation-wide outrage over the alleged political intervention in the university affairs and the alleged discriminatory treatment against Dalit students.

According to Srivastava, the administration started its normal functioning on the campus from Thursday. "They(students) have agreed to let the research activity resume from tomorrow. We have to wait and see.I have a feeling that we can start the classes, if not tomorrow, may be from day after," he said.

He also appealed to the student community to call of their strike to facilitate the regular administrative functions including the processing of salaries to staff and scholarships to students.The Joint Action Committee for Social Justice of UoH, among other demands, has been asking for the removal of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao. It is also demanding a Rs 50-lakh compensation and a job to Rohit's family.

Some of the faculty members who have submitted resignation papers for their administrative positions have also responded positively to resume their duties, according to Srivastava. It may be recalled that over a dozen faculty members and officers belonging to SC and ST community have announced their resignation in solidarity with the student protests in the light of Rohit Vemula's suicide.