On the evening of January 7, National Institute of Technology, Warangal (NITW) witnessed a scene of huge protests. Students gathered outside the Institute Food Court (IFC), a mess run by private contractors on campus, to protest against the quality of food provided. The students complained that the food is not worth the amount charged. The students are charged Rs. 80 per day and they are treated to raw chappatis and watery dal. Hygiene is also thrown to the wind, according to some students.
The students had asked the contractors to improve the food quality before they went on vacation in December 2015. However, as there was no improvement, the students started protesting yesterday as was decided.
NITW has IFC (A and B) as well as (college) mess. First-year students have to compulsorily go to a private mess. This is done to avoid ragging. However, the IFC are run by contractors who have not improved the quality of food despite the students repeatedly complaining. “Some or the other thing happens every year at the IFC but this year it is worse”, a student said on condition of anonymity. The situation is difficult for first years because they don’t have the option of shifting to the government mess.
PaGaLGuY spoke to Prof. S.Srinivasa Rao, Dean, Student Welfare. “We have set up a committee consisting of senior faculty members and student representatives to look into students’ complaint about the quality of ” Prof. Rao said.