Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh Private University Regulatory Commission probe committee has submitted its report on the recent incident at VIT University, highlighting serious lapses in administration and student management.
The committee noted that VIT University failed to anticipate simmering anger among students, and a viral video showing thrashing of a student acted as a spark that inflamed tensions. Information regarding a student’s death further escalated the situation, resulting in widespread chaos across the campus.
The report stated that the university management had turned the campus into a “fort” where its authority went unquestioned, leaving students with no right to express concerns or reactions. The committee cited that even the Chief Medical Health Officer of Sehore district was made to wait for two hours at the main entry gate, reflecting the extreme mismanagement.
Students told the committee that they lived under a shadow of fear when making complaints. In the name of discipline, they were threatened with confiscation of ID cards, exclusion from exams or lower marks in practical assessments. Complaints about food arrangements were ignored, with students told they had to eat whatever was provided.
The committee observed that management’s overconfidence worsened the situation. The local police were informed of the campus unrest only at 2 am, by which time students had caused significant damage, including torching vehicles. The university had no proper record of students who suffered from jaundice, which triggered unrest after reports of student deaths due to the disease went viral on social media.
The report concluded that VIT University lacked transparency and noted the non-cooperative attitude of the management, which contributed to a climate of fear and disorder among students.
Out of 18 VIT water samples, bacteria found in four
Out of 18 water samples, collected from the campus of the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) in Kothri on the Indore-Bhopal highway, four have failed the test, sources said.
The water samples were collected after the students resorted to violence protesting the illness caused by the contaminated water and food.
After the incident, the VIT management closed the campus until December 8. The officials of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) visited the campus and collected 18 samples for testing, but four of them failed.
Bacteria were found in the water samples, sources said, adding that the samples have been tested at a water testing laboratory in Sehore.
Executive engineer of PHE Pradeep Saxena said 18 samples had been collected from the tube well, ground-level tank, and RO system. Bacteria were found in four samples, he said, adding that 14 of them were normal. There should not be any bacteria in the water, he said.
According to sources, contaminated water caused jaundice among the students, and the students made complaints about it to the institute management.
But they did not listen to the students’ complaint, sources said, adding that as a result, nearly 32 students fell ill. Similarly, the officials of the Food and Drugs Administration Department took 25 food samples from the mess.
Food inspector Kirti Malviya said the food samples had been sent to a laboratory in Bhopal for testing. The officials are waiting for the test report, she said.
