The indefinite strike by students of the Kannur University School of Legal Studies (SLS) on the university’s Thalassery campus at Palayad here hit its functioning as agitating students laid siege to the campus in protest against the non-renewal of the Bar Council affiliation for the LLB course offered by the institution.
The indefinite agitation had begun on July 25 under the joint aegis of the Student Federation of India (SFI) and the Kerala Students Union (KSU) in protest against what the agitators called the ‘failure’ of the university authorities to renew the Bar Council affiliation to be renewed every three years.
The affiliation to the course granted in 2006 was not renewed after its validity ended in 2009, they said.
NAAC team visit
SFI leader and final year student of the SLS said that that the students had come to know of the non-renewal of the affiliation when the issue was brought to the notice of the university authorities by the peer team of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) that had visited the university in March.
He said that without the renewal of the affiliation, the students could not enrol after completion of their course.
KSU leader Abdul Rasheed, also a final year student at the school, said that the protest would continue till the university authorities take the initiative to get the affiliation renewed.
The university authorities said that the university had already paid the fees for the visit of the Bar Council team for inspection, which is mandatory for renewal of affiliation. The team is expected to visit the institution by mid-August, they informed.
Meanwhile, students of the School of Health Sciences (SHS) on the campus also joined the agitation alleging that the course offered by the SHS does not have the recognition of the Paramedical Council of India.
Issue of concern
Validity of affiliation ended in 2009
Inspection by Bar Council team likely in mid-August
