HAU students’ unrest demands dialogue

THE ongoing students’ protest at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar, is more than just a reaction to stipend cuts. It is a manifestation of growing unrest in institutions where administrative decisions are increasingly seen as arbitrary and lacking empathy. What began as opposition to the withdrawal of scholarships for MSc and PhD students has spiralled into a full-blown movement, marked by clashes with security staff, widespread academic disruption and calls for the Vice-Chancellor’s resignation.

The administration’s move to put the stipend cut “on hold” has failed to calm tensions. Students see it as a tactical retreat rather than a genuine dialogue. The use of police force, including baton charges, has only worsened the trust deficit. A functioning campus cannot be sustained on coercion; it must be rooted in fairness, transparency and mutual respect. Political voices, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, have now amplified the issue, vowing to raise it in Parliament. While this adds pressure on the state, it also risks politicising what should ideally be a matter of policy sensitivity and student welfare. Notably, the protest has found support even from unrelated quarters, such as residents of Kaul village, who are agitating over a separate reservation issue, revealing broader dissatisfaction with the university’s decision-making processes.

With examination halls nearly empty and the protest spreading to affiliated colleges, the time for symbolic gestures is over. The HAU administration must urgently engage in sincere, mediated dialogue with students. Academic institutions must not become battlegrounds. If future scientists and researchers are denied dignity and support, we risk weakening the very foundation of our knowledge economy.

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