Chandigarh: The Ambedkar Students’ Forum (ASF) continued its protest outside the vice-chancellor’s office at Panjab University on Thursday, demanding age relaxation and greater representation for persons with disabilities (PWD) in the PUCSC elections.The protest entered its fourth day, with ASF members stating that a university committee had decided to grant age relaxation for PWD students, but that no official communication or notification regarding such a decision had yet been issued.ASF has been protesting since August 24, seeking age relaxation, proper representation and equal participation for students with disabilities in the university’s student elections. The issue came into focus after visually impaired student Naresh Kumar’s nomination for the PUCSC elections was kept under legal consideration over the upper-age limit.In a statement issued on Thursday, the organisation said it had given an open call to student organisations and political groups on campus to support the demand and help raise the issue with the university authorities. It added that some organisations had not extended the support it had expected.ASF members raised slogans and continued their protest from the afternoon, reiterating that the demands concerned rights and representation rather than concessions.“The university committee has decided to grant age relaxation for PWD students, but the official notification has still not been issued. A decision without an official notification does not provide the certainty and assurance that students need,” the organisation said.ASF said it would continue its protest until there was clarity on the issue and its demands concerning the participation and representation of students with disabilities were addressed.The development comes days before the August 31 PUCSC elections, with the eligibility of students with disabilities emerging as one of the issues during this year’s poll process.
