Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a gesture which took many by surprise, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) vice-chancellor Prof Rakesh Singhai sat on the ground to talk to BEd students staging a dharna on the RNT Marg campus of the university on Thursday.

The protesting students were demanding a special fourth attempt for the examination of the two-year course, which currently permits only three attempts. 

The protest, led by Youth Congress leader Javed Khan, witnessed a large turnout of students who failed to pass the exam in three attempts. They argued that an additional opportunity would help those struggling to pass the crucial exams and obtain their degrees. The VC  assured the protesters that their request for a fourth attempt would be forwarded to the Department Higher Education (DHE) and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for consideration. 

Singhai's act of sitting among the students to hear their grievances and his assurance led to the peaceful conclusion of the protest. Javed praised the VC's empathetic approach, stating, "He was not required to sit on the ground to talk to us, but he did that, giving a message that the seeker and the giver can be on equal footing."  This gesture, he said, conveyed to students that the VC was willing to listen and engage directly with them, setting a positive example.