Bangalore University (BU) has decided to provide free postgraduate education for the sibling of Shilpashree, the postgraduate student who died following a gruesome road accident at the Jnana Bharathi campus.
Shilpashree's sister, who is studying an undergraduate course, will get free PG education and one day's salary of all BU staff will be given as financial aid to the family, the Syndicate decided Monday.
"It is not compulsory for employees to donate their one day's salary. We will request them and whoever is willing can donate. Even all the Syndicate members are donating their meeting remuneration to this cause," BU Vice-Chancellor Dr Jayakara SM said.
However, considering threats of protests by students who sought Rs 1.5 crore as compensation to Shilpashree's family, the Syndicate members decided to take student leaders into confidence. "We have discussed this with students and convinced them as there is no provision for the university to provide such a huge amount as compensation," Jayakara said.
Meanwhile, the university will write to the Higher Education department requesting special permission for compensation to be given to Shilpashree's family.
Shilpashree, a postgraduate mathematics student, was run over by a BMTC bus on October 10, triggering protests. She died in a hospital 13 days later.