Shillong, March 17: Students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Meghalaya staged a mass protest on Monday over poor basic facilities at their permanent campus in Sohra.
Sitting in front of the Administration Block building, the students voiced concerns over poor-quality food, unhygienic surroundings, erratic amenities, lack of gym facilities for female students, frequent WiFi and electricity disruptions and faulty construction leading to leaks during heavy rains.
In a video taken by students, water can be seen gushing out from a pipeline and even an electrical socket in a room of the 3-seater Boys’ Hostel.
The students had earlier sent a letter to the Director highlighting these concerns but received no response. This lack of action prompted them to stage the protest.
Additionally, students also complained about the lack of clean drinking water and the absence of medical facilities for emergencies. A formal complaint further pointed out foul-smelling water, an inadequate number of cleaning staff, and rude mess workers refusing extra food.
A photo taken by a student showed the lentils (Dal) served in the mess to be extremely watery, resembling plain yellowish water rather than actual Dal. In one of the photos, a fly was also found in the fish curry.
Regarding WiFi connectivity, students lamented that every Sunday, the service is completely unavailable, and on other days, it remains highly unstable, causing inconvenience to academic and research work.
It may be mentioned that NIT Meghalaya was shifted from its temporary campus in Shillong to Sohra on January 16, this year.
Frustrated by the delay in addressing basic infrastructure concerns, students urged the administration to take immediate action, emphasizing that these issues disrupt academics and tarnish the reputation of an “Institute of National Importance.”
 Meghalaya staged a mass protest on Monday over poor basic facilities at their permanent campus in Sohra.){kind=link}