By Abhimanyu:
In an innovative way to register their grievances, the students of Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) held a protest in Connaught Place yesterday evening, with empty shoeboxes as props. They told YKA that this symbolised their frustration with the institute, which has been allegedly unable to ensure them valid degrees.
The students had held a protest march earlier this week at India Gate as well, which had led to their detention by the police. The issue has been building up for a while, with no concrete solution in sight at present. Admissions to the current batch have reportedly been put on hold.
Thousands of students from the institute have alleged that their future prospects are in danger of being adversely affected due to the institute’s faulty decisions and policies. FDDI comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Discussions to find a solution to the woes of the students have been held at the level of the Prime Minister’s Office as well, with the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the loop, documents with YKA show.
Since 2012, the institute is facing problems in awarding genuine degrees to students who are enrolled with them. The FDDI is authorised to give diplomas to its student, but they have registered students on the assurance of providing them with regular degrees since 2012. The arrangement reached by the institute to award degrees in collaboration with Mewar University of Rajasthan was declared invalid by the University Grants Commission, according to additional papers in possession of YKA.
“The Institute’s management is trying their best to find a solution but it has been more than four years and the issue is unresolved despite the involvement of MHRD and PMO,” a source from the management told YKA.
Around four thousand students from 2012 to 2016 batch are likely to suffer. Sandeep Priyadarshi, a 2014 student of Business Management told YKA that he has filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court. “They are using delaying tactics and giving us fake assurances. I am waiting from our judiciary to give immediate solution to our demands,” alleged Priyadarshi.
A girl student from Rohtak branch of the institute said, “My father had taken a bank loan for my admission. I don’t have a degree now. Who will give a job to me? How will I repay my loan?”
UPDATE: A notice issued by the Executive Director of the institute states that “Due to ongoing boycott of classes by the students, semester break will be held from 16 May to 25 July. The exam schedule for the current semester shall be intimated after it.”
To know more about why the students are protesting, read: RTI Reveals How Govt College FDDI Duped Its Students With Fake Degrees
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