Students’ protests lead to indefinite closure of Malda Engineering Institute

Malda: Chaos erupted at the Ghani Khan Choudhury Institute of Engineering and Technology (GKCIET) in Narayanpur, Old Malda, as authorities abruptly announced its indefinite closure.

The decision came amid ongoing student protests over the delay in the publication of examination results.

On Saturday morning, the institute administration issued a notice instructing all students, including hostel residents, to vacate the campus by 10 am. The notice, signed by Assistant Registrar Debanik Majumdar, cited concerns over law and order as the reason for the closure. The unrest stemmed from the failure of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT) to release the results of the semester examinations.

The protests began on Friday at 4 pm, with students gathering in front of the administrative block, demanding the immediate publishing of their results. Despite their persistent efforts, no resolution was reached, leading to an escalation of the agitation. By Saturday morning, tensions had peaked, prompting the authorities to shut down the institution and lock the main gate.

This is not the first time GKCIET has faced such a situation. In 2016, the institute was also shut down due to issues related to affiliation, sparking a massive student movement. The problem was eventually resolved when MAKAUT granted technical approval. Now, with students once again taking to the streets over academic concerns, the sudden closure has raised serious questions about the administration’s handling of the situation.

According to protesting students, the B.Tech third-year odd-semester exam results were due to be released on February 10. However, even after 25 days, the results had not been published, leaving students in limbo. Frustrated by the delay, they staged an overnight protest in front of the administrative building, which continued into

Saturday morning.

As tensions remain high, students are being forced to vacate the hostel and return home. The director of the institute, Shivai John, was reportedly unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, students are demanding immediate action from the authorities to address their grievances and ensure the timely publication

of their results.