Chitwan, May 7

Frequent strikes and padlocking of Chitwan’s Rampur-based Agriculture and Forestry University has adversely affected regular classes throwing the entire academic calendar into a mess.

The varsity remained closed for more than six months after it was padlocked by agitating students and professors at different times.

All activities, including regular classes, have been halted for the past one month. Students smeared black soot and manhandled Dean Bishnu Ojha at the Department of Agriculture on 4 April 2019. Since then, classes and regular work of the university have come to a complete halt.

University Registrar Manraj Kolakshyapati said Democratic Professors’ Union had locked the varsity demanding stern action against students involved in smearing soot on Dean Ojha. The varsity had suspended six students on the charge of manhandling Dean Ojha for two months.

Immediately after that, All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union had locked the university.

Though the students agreed to open the padlock, the professors’ union continued their protest, which ultimately hampered regular classes at the university. “Despite repeated talks among political parties, students and professors, we could not sort out the problem,” Kolakshyapati said.

Earlier, the university was padlocked after it issued licence to private colleges on 4 July 2018.