Hundreds of students of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Monday, intensifying a campus agitation over alleged administrative inaction on a wide range of academic, residential and governance-related issues.
The protest began on Sunday night when students staged a sit-in inside an academic block after submitting a 12-page representation to the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar. The demonstration, which started around 9:30 pm, continued past midnight, with students alleging that repeated attempts to resolve their grievances through emails, Open House meetings and formal representations had failed to bring any meaningful action.
On the second day, students resumed the sit-in at around 9:30 am and said they would present a set of time-bound demands to the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar at around 2 pm. According to the protesters, the university administration has invited student representatives for discussions behind closed doors. However, the students have insisted that any negotiations should be conducted in the presence of all protesters, alleging that past interactions reflected a power imbalance between the administration and students. They also claimed that while some faculty members expressed support for the agitation on Monday morning, others discouraged the protest.
The students’ representation raises concerns over hostel conditions, transportation, placement support, campus facilities, academic regulations and what they describe as an administrative environment that discourages dissent.
Among the key issues highlighted are inadequate infrastructure at the University’s extended hostel campus in Dongargaon, including irregular water supply, frequent power outages, sanitation concerns, insect infestation and reported sightings of snakes and scorpions.
The representation also alleges safety concerns for women students residing at the Dongargaon facility, claiming that preventive security measures were introduced only after incidents affecting student privacy had already occurred.
Students have further complained about overcrowded university buses, citing an incident on July 1 in which a single 40-seater bus was allegedly used to transport nearly twice its capacity.
At the main campus, students have raised concerns over the prolonged absence of a functional canteen, limited access to academic buildings after evening hours, an unmaintained gymnasium and restrictions on food deliveries after 6 pm. They argue that such limitations create hardships for students living on a fully residential campus located on the outskirts of Nagpur.
The representation also questions provisions of the University’s Academic Code of Conduct, 2023, particularly a clause that categorises hunger strikes, dharnas, gheraos and similar forms of protest as misconduct. Students contend that the provision discourages peaceful democratic expression and allege that students raising questions during Open House meetings have been identified by faculty members, creating an atmosphere that discourages open discussion.
In addition, the students have demanded the appointment of a dedicated Placement Officer, greater flexibility in academic regulations relating to re-evaluation, and relaxation of restrictions on cultural activities and campus events.
As of Monday afternoon, the university administration had not issued any official public statement on the students’ representation or the ongoing protest. Students have said the agitation will continue until concrete, time-bound assurances are provided on their demands.
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