Tezpur University students end hunger strike, but boycott bites deeper amid MoE promises

Tezpur University's campus has become a battleground for student activism. On a tense day that gripped the academic community, nearly 200 students concluded a hunger strike peacefully, yet the flames of their movement continue to burn further and much more stronger.

The nine hour hunger strike, drew a massive turnout from the student body, transforming the university grounds into a sea of placards and fervent speeches. With spirits unbroken despite sleeping and continued protest out in the cold, the protesters hailed a fresh assurance from the Ministry of Education (MoE). Officials pledged to announce a detailed inquiry into the controversies by this Friday, a timeline that carries the weight of recent failures. "We've suspended the fast, but our fight is far from over," one student leader declared, encapsulating the sentiment that rippled through the crowd.

This development follows a high-stakes visit by a senior MoE delegation, including the ministry's secretary and joint secretary, who arrived amid escalating protests. Their earlier commitment, to launch an inquiry with a deadline that lapsed last Tuesday, had fueled outrage, prompting the hunger strike as a desperate escalation. Yet, the students' arsenal extends beyond fasting; since Vice-Chancellor Singh's absence in September, they've unleashed a repertoire of creative protests, from symbolic shutdowns to viral social media campaigns that have amplified their grievances nationwide.

The backdrop to this unrest is a total academic boycott that commenced on November 27, paralyzing the 4,000-student campus. Faculty and students alike have rallied under banners calling for the vice-chancellor's resignation and systemic reforms, accusing the administration of opacity and misconduct. As the hunger strike wraps up, the boycott endures, with protesters vowing to halt classes until Friday's promised inquiry materializes. "We're not backing down," affirmed a participant.