Coimbatore Law Students Stage Sit-In Protest Over Laptop Scheme Disparity
Around 150 students from the Government Law College in Coimbatore organized a sit-in demonstration in front of the college entrance on Monday. Their primary demand was the extension of the Tamil Nadu government's free laptop scheme to include all law students, regardless of their course stream.
Protest Highlights Inequity in Scheme Implementation
The law programme at the college is structured into two distinct streams: a comprehensive five-year integrated course and a more focused three-year course. Recently, final-year students enrolled in the five-year law course received free laptops under the state government's initiative. However, students pursuing the three-year course expressed frustration, alleging that the government had neither collected their details nor extended the same benefit to them.
Protesting students emphasized that both streams follow an identical syllabus, making the exclusion particularly unjust. They reported having submitted multiple petitions to key authorities, including the higher education minister, the district collector, and other concerned officials, but received no substantive response. This lack of communication fueled their decision to take collective action.
Students Voice Concerns Over Discrimination and Educational Support
During the protest, participants raised powerful slogans such as "We want justice" and "Do not discriminate students." They highlighted that many students in the three-year course had already completed undergraduate studies before enrolling, and access to laptops would significantly enhance their legal education by facilitating research, assignments, and digital learning tools.
The students described the differential treatment as both unfair and painful, arguing that it undermines the principle of equal opportunity in education. Their peaceful demonstration aimed to draw attention to this oversight and advocate for inclusive policy implementation.
Resolution Through Dialogue with College Administration
Following constructive discussions with the college administration, the students decided to withdraw their protest. While immediate outcomes regarding the laptop scheme were not specified, the dialogue marked a step toward addressing their grievances. The incident underscores ongoing challenges in educational equity and the importance of responsive governance in student welfare initiatives.
