Ex-students of univ protest issuance of ‘negative’ certificate

COIMBATORE: Five former students of Periyar University staged a sit-in in protest on Wednesday outside the Vice Chancellor’s office after they were issued conduct certificates with negative remarks.

The five girl students of MA History passed out in June 2022. They were recently issued a conduct certificate mentioned as ‘not satisfactory’ by the university. Expressing their dissent, the students sat on a protest in front of Vice Chancellor R Jagannathan’s chamber after they were denied permission to meet the VC.

Within a few minutes of their protest, a staff persuaded them to withdraw the protest and took them to meet Registrar R Balagurunathan. The students then gave a letter seeking to change the remarks in their conduct certificate.

The Registrar assured the agitated students that he would take up the issue with the Vice Chancellor. They then left the place as they were asked to come after a week to know the developments.

The students claimed that they were given a conduct certificate with a negative remark as they stated support of an assistant professor, who was placed under suspension on sexual harassment allegation in March 2022. The assistant professor was arrested by Suramangalam police on a complaint by a student.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT), state president P Thirunavukkarasu has also sought an inquiry by the education department to ensure that the students are given proper certificates as it is essential to take up further studies.