We’ve all seen the advertisements of Amity University claiming to be world class with high rankings. I have been there, and believe me, there is nothing world class about Amity University Chhattisgarh. In fact, it feels more like an institute run by a khap panchayat.
I had heard of regressive universities but Amity University Chhattisgarh takes it to a whole other level. Below are the things I came to know here while studying for my LLM.
Sexual harassment, scholarship scams, student abuse, fraud and other criminal activities are prevalent in Amity University Chhattisgarh.
1. Mr Jelis Subhan, the principal of Amity Law School has been accused of sexual harassment by a number of women. I have heard about such experiences from many juniors. A woman student even formally complained that he harasses her via late night phone calls, yet no action was taken against him. She later left college.
Another complainant reported to the college administration about being touched inappropriately by the principal. Again, no departmental action was taken against him. Despite the fact that some of the girls here are minors, instead of reporting these matters to the police, the Registrar and the Vice-Chancellor protect sexual perpetrators.
Some students even claim that ever since the victim complained, she has been further tortured by being failed in exams.
2. Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajendra Kumar Pandey calls students to his office, and his peon collects the students’ phones. He also searches the student by frisking for any electronic devices. This is done so that the student is not able to record or have any evidence of whatever the VC does to them in his office.
3. Teachers act like roadside goons and use phrases like “khoon ke aansun rulaunga,” “kaan se khoon nikal dunga,” “ek laat marunga,” “ek jhapad marunga,” “table phenk ke marunga,” “aise marks dunga ki suicide karna padega,” etc. The Registrar SC Mukhopadhyay goes a step further and proclaims himself to be the Don of Amity to the students.
4. They are so narrow-minded that they have a problem with ripped jeans and girls wearing cold-shoulder blouses. Boys and girls are not even allowed to eat together, there is a separate mess for girls. Vulgar remarks are made by the teachers in the class about boys and girls sitting together.
A boy once wore a shirt with ‘sanskari’ printed with the letter ‘i’ styled as a cigarette. This was created into such an issue that he was taken to the principal’s office and made to submit a written apology.
5. Classes don’t take place regularly due to lack of teachers. No classes were held for the LLM course during the first two months. But, fake attendance is shown.
There are subjects in the interior design course for which just two classes were held in the entire semester. Mukesh Sir from the Hindi Medium Arts department took the classes of almost all its subjects. He also took classes for architecture. The LLM students were forced to take classes of LLB students due to lack of teachers.
Students organised a protest, demanding teachers and the registrar of the university Dr Surajit C Mukhopadhyay simply told the students that they can’t find teachers. They also asked the students to bring any teacher they know! Have you ever heard of a college asking students to recruit teachers! The thing is, the students even arranged for a teacher but she wasn’t offered a fair salary and therefore chose to leave.
6. Students have also complained against teachers for misappropriation of funds that is collected in the name of educational trips and cultural activities.
7. Of the 100 books suggested in Amity’s own LLM syllabus, not even 5 are available in the library.
8. They’re so understaffed or plain inefficient that exams that took place in September and December 2018 have not been checked yet. Without declaring the results of the last two rounds of examination, a current cycle in ongoing in March 2019!
9. The college website claims to have a “state-of-the-art gym, a wide range of cardio and resistance machines, trained instructors.” ALL LIES! We don’t even have one cardio machine. Just a two-line pulley and a leg press. There are a few benches but a limited range of weights. No trained instructors.
The table for table tennis shown on the college website remains locked in storage for the majority of the year. It was taken out once for a competition and photo session.
There is no common room for the students. No sports activity is allowed for non-hostelers. Those living in hostels can play in an open area after 5:00 pm. No sports gear or equipment is provided to them either.
10. Scholarships are another scam here. They take admission of the students promising them attractive scholarships. But once those students reach the second or third of their course, the college demands full fees of all semesters, calculating previous deductions of the scholarship as dues. For this, they cite that the student has not submitted the required documents for availing the scholarships and therefore the scholarship has been denied.
Neither do they ask for such documents beforehand nor do they put out a notice about it. And, students are not allowed to give those documents once the session starts as the deadline for submission has passed by then. Now, the student is threatened that without clearing the dues they won’t be given their degree. Additionally, leaving the course in between means wasting two years.
11. Even adult non-hostelers are not allowed to leave the campus before 5:00 pm. To leave, one has to write an application to the principal explaining why you have to leave. Then, one’s parents must call the teacher and explain that one has consent to leave. Then, if they feel like it, they will issue an Out-Pass signed by two teachers. The guards will open the door only if you have the pass. There have been instances when teachers have refused the parents saying “hum nahi jaane denge,” “jaane ka reason achcha nahi hai,” “iska ye kaam nahi hua hai,” “wo submission nahi hua hai.”
This process has to be repeated every time one wants to leave. For LLM, we have just two classes from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, and we still can’t leave before 5:00 pm! We are told to sit in the library which has no books that are relevant to us, because it is the university rule that students can’t leave before 5:00 pm! LOL.
12. And, even those two classes don’t take place regularly. This is not just wrong but also a criminal offence of wrongful confinement and is punishable by law.
13. Hostelers can leave the campus only if they apply for the Out-Pass a day prior and only between 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Again, adults require the consent of their parents every time over the phone to leave the campus.
But, when it comes to married women in postgraduate courses, Amity University reaches the heights of patriarchy. Adult married women are not allowed to leave without the consent of their husband!
14. And yeah, 75% (fake) attendance is mandatory. Despite the fact that there are no classes, students are still forced to come to college merely for roll calls and then they can sit in empty classes, library or canteen. But they cannot go outside the campus before 5:00 pm.
If for any reason you still want to take admission here, do not do so in haste. Take your time. They conduct entrance exams every week. Keep on extending the last date of payment of fees. A different last date for fee payment is given to every student… LOL.
In my batch, they accepted admissions as late as September. And they don’t return the fees once you have paid it (even though as per UGC rules, they have to). I know a girl who attended just for two days and then got accepted at another college, and left. Till date, Amity has not returned her deposited amount despite repeated requests. So, wait for other colleges to release the very last list and then come to Amity Chhattisgarh if you absolutely have to.
Everything I have written here is what I can prove and have evidence of. There are worse things that happen here that I have seen but have left out of this review because I don’t have hard evidence to prove it.