Tinsukia: Students of the Commerce Department of Sadiya College staged a road blockade in Sadiya on Friday, accusing authorities of 18 years of neglect and demanding immediate provincialisation of the department.
The Commerce stream was introduced in 2007, but unlike the Arts and Science streams—which are already progressing toward provincialisation—the Commerce section remains outside government support. Students say the delay has hurt academic quality and jeopardised careers, especially in a border region where Sadiya College is the only higher-education institution.
Protesters alleged that the college charges ₹3,000–₹5,000 per year, placing hardship on families. Some students have reportedly dropped out due to increasing fees, even though the college collects nearly ₹15 lakh annually from about 300 commerce students.
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Despite this, students claim the department lacks basic infrastructure: classrooms are inadequate, classes overlap, and students often attend lectures from corridors and verandahs. They further allege that teachers receive meagre salaries, threatening the long-term survival of the department. Students warned that continued neglect may shut down Commerce education in Sadiya, affecting hundreds. They urged the Chief Minister and Education Department to step in, ensure teachers are paid, and sanction infrastructure and staff without further delay.
