The Nepali Communist Party-affiliated student wing, which padlocked key offices at the Tribhuvan University in the beginning of this month, took its protest a step further on Friday as it started barring top officials from entering the varsity premises.

The All Nepal National Independent Union (Revolutionary) padlocked the offices on January 1, claiming that the university administration had paid no attention to implementing past agreements. The union claims the agreement to reduce fees in the departments of International Relations and Diplomacy, Gender Studies, Social Work, and Conflict, Peace and Development Studies had not been implemented.

As the four departments were established as self-sustaining, their fee structure is several times higher than other programmes.

As a result of the padlock, vice-chancellor Deepak Aryal, rector Khadga KC, and registrar Kedar Rijal have been unable to work from their offices. They had been carrying out their daily duties from different deans offices and departments. This had already hindered their work. And as they have been barred from entering the university premises since Friday, their performance is set to be hit further.

“It is [our] compulsion to stop them from entering the university premises as padlocks in the offices had put little pressure on them,” Dinesh Ayer, chief of the student union from the university’s central campus in Kritipur, told the Post. “We are eagerly waiting to find a way out through dialogue.”

The university authority has been saying it is ready for dialogue but opening the padlock is the prerequisite. Issuing a statement, the rector’s office has asked the protesting students to “seek solutions through lawful means of dialogue and discussion.”

The university authority has also requested the students currently studying, well-wishers, and all concerned not to engage in any activities that obstruct the university’s important responsibility of providing quality higher education.

It has warned that the university would not be able to follow the calendar if the padlock continues. “Padlocking, strikes, arson, vandalism and similar actions carried out within academic and scholarly institutions seriously affect the implementation of the academic calendar,” reads the statement. “If students are unable to obtain their degrees within the designated academic session (year), it will also cost them more time and money.”

The university authority claims the padlock is against the Supreme Court order. Following the frequent padlocks, the Supreme Court had prohibited activities that hamper the varsity’s academic and administrative works.

Advocate Mahesh Bhattarai in June last year had filed a writ petition naming the Ministry of Home Affairs, Police Headquarters, District Administration Office Kathmandu, Kirtipur Police Circle, and the offices of the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar as respondents. At that time, padlocks had been imposed in the names of the Part-time Teachers’ Association, All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), and Nepal Students’ Union. Separate padlocks had been placed on the offices of the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Rector, and the Service Commission.

Issuing an order in the name of the opponents, the top court had directed that padlocking should not be carried out or allowed, and that if locks had been placed, they should be removed. Then CPN (Maoist Centre)-affiliated student wing withdrew its protest following the order.

Asked why they had worked against the court order, Ayer said they were in the fight against injustice. “The university had agreed to reduce the fee after a month-long hunger strike last year,” Ayer said. “However, it was never implemented, troubling the poor students.” Holding a new entrance exam to give a second chance to the students is another demand the student union has forwarded.

The university authority on the other hand has claimed that as the classes have already begun as per the academic calendar, there is no possibility of any revision.

“As all the activities have been carried out in accordance with the academic calendar already approved by the university’s highest academic body, the Academic Council, there is no provision for re-admission examinations at any level,” the varsity authority has said.