Madhya Pradesh Issues Show-Cause Notice to VIT University Following Massive Student Protests Over Health and Safety Violations

On November 25, approximately 4,000 students assembled in protest at VIT University.

The Madhya Pradesh Higher Education Department has issued a show-cause notice to VIT University management following violent unrest that erupted on campus five days ago. The university has been given seven days to explain serious violations, with warnings of disciplinary action under Section 41(2) if their response proves inadequate.

The notice stems from a concerning report submitted by a three-member inquiry committee from the MP Private University Regulatory Commission. NDTV has obtained this report, which exposes disturbing conditions, administrative failures, and severe mismanagement at one of the state's largest private educational institutions.

According to the findings, the university hostel mess was in an "extremely unsatisfactory" condition. Students reported poor quality food and beverages, contaminated water, and foul-smelling drinking water. University management acknowledged that between November 14 and 24, 35 students (23 male and 12 female) had contracted jaundice, strongly indicating water contamination issues.

The report describes an environment of intimidation at the university. Students informed the committee they faced threats of harassment for raising complaints, warnings about confiscation of identification cards, threats of exam exclusion, promises of poor practical grades, and in one particularly troubling incident, even the District Chief Medical and Health Officer was made to wait for two hours at the campus entrance.

The committee noted that student dissatisfaction had been growing consistently, yet management disregarded all warnings. As the situation intensified, administrators called police at 2 am, which only exacerbated tensions.

Under Secretary Viran Singh Bhalavi warned in the notice that the government would take unilateral action if the university fails to provide an adequate explanation.

The crisis began when a student was allegedly attacked by hostel staff after complaining about contaminated water and food. What followed was unprecedented disorder.

On November 25, around 4,000 students gathered to protest.

Within minutes, the demonstration escalated dramatically - buses and vehicles were set on fire, an ambulance was damaged, windscreens were broken, and flames spread across the parking area.

Police forces from five stations were deployed to control the situation. The university has since been closed until December 8, with most students returning to their homes.

Previously, the Public Health Engineering Department collected 18 water samples. Four tested positive for harmful bacteria, including E coli. PHE official Pradeep Saxena confirmed contamination in water from tube wells, ground-level tanks, and reverse osmosis systems.

The Food and Drug Administration collected 25 food samples from the hostel mess, including pulses, rice, oil, flour, and semolina.

Among the most concerning discoveries was that 11 campus blocks were operating without fire NOCs (No Objection Certificates), placing thousands of students at serious risk. Gross negligence by management directly contributed to the crisis.

The investigation team, consisting of Hamidia College Principal Dr Anil Shivani, MVM College Professor Sanjay Dixit, and GMC Professor Dr Lokendra Dave, concluded that the entire chain of events resulted from profound administrative failure.