ABVP, students detained in Mangaluru over Dasara exam protest
Synopsis
Students and ABVP activists in Mangaluru took their Dasara exam protest to the extreme — blocking police vehicles and lying on the road — after the college management refused to postpone semester papers scheduled from 12 to 28 October. Detentions followed, but the college proceeded with exams anyway, setting up a continued standoff.
Key Takeaways
ABVP members and students staged a protest at a college in Bendurwell, Mangaluru on 12 October 2026 .
The protest targeted the college management's decision to hold semester exams from 12 to 28 October , overlapping with Dasara festival holidays.
Students boycotted exams, blocked the college gate, and physically prevented police vehicles from moving; some reportedly lay down in front of the vehicles.
Police detained several ABVP activists and students; the college management proceeded with examinations as scheduled.
A memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Mangaluru district seeking intervention.
ABVP warned that the agitation could escalate if demands for postponement are not met.
Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and students staged a protest outside a college in Bendurwell, Mangaluru, on Monday, 12 October 2026, opposing the conduct of semester examinations during the ongoing Dasara festival holidays. Police detained several ABVP activists and students after the protest blocked the college's main gate and stalled police vehicles.
The Trigger: Exams Scheduled Mid-Festival
The college management had scheduled semester examinations from 12 to 28 October, a window that coincides with the Dasara festive period. Students alleged they had previously submitted a memorandum to the management requesting a change in the examination schedule, but received no response. Protesters also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Mangaluru district, seeking administrative intervention.
Students noted that their seniors had informed them examinations were not held during Dasara the previous year, and pointed out that other colleges were reportedly adjusting their schedules. A first-year student said her batch's examinations were set to begin on Tuesday, prompting the demonstration on Monday itself.
How the Protest Unfolded
A section of students boycotted the examinations and staged a sit-in at the college's main gate. As the agitation intensified, police personnel arrived at the scene and detained students and ABVP activists who were blocking the entrance. When officers attempted to remove the detained protesters in their vehicles, other demonstrators stood in front of the vehicles — with some reportedly lying down on the road — preventing any movement.
Unable to proceed, the police vehicles were eventually parked along the roadside. Protesters raised slogans including 'We want justice' and refused to disperse until the detained students and ABVP activists were released. The college management, however, proceeded with the examinations as scheduled.
What Students Said
Several girl students expressed frustration over the timing, emphasising that Dasara is a significant festival in Mangaluru. 'Dasara in Mangaluru is a big festival, and we want to be part of it. The college can continue regular classes during this period; we have no objection to that. Being Hindus, we want to visit temples, participate in the festivities and spend time with our families. Don't we have any feelings? How many days of the holidays will be declared for Christmas? Won't they enjoy their festival?' one protesting student said.
Another student alleged that the management had deliberately scheduled examinations in major subjects during the festival. 'The management is asking us to write today's examination. How can we do that? Even if we lose an entire academic year for not writing the examinations, we do not mind. We want the right to celebrate our festival. The management has deliberately scheduled examinations in major subjects during the Dasara festivities. Don't they know that it is a major festival?' she said.
ABVP's Stand and What Comes Next
ABVP leaders alleged that the management was indifferent to students' concerns and warned that the agitation could intensify if their demands were not met. Protesters demanded that the college principal come to the spot and formally announce a postponement, a call that went unheeded on Monday.
With examinations continuing as per the original timetable and detained students yet to be formally addressed, the standoff is likely to continue in the coming days, particularly as first-year students face their first scheduled papers on Tuesday.
Point of View
Institutional autonomy, and communal framing — and the last element deserves scrutiny. Students raised a legitimate grievance about exam scheduling during a major festival, but the on-record reference to Christmas holidays introduces a religious comparison that shifts the discourse from academic fairness to identity politics, a framing ABVP has used strategically before. Colleges scheduling high-stakes papers during gazetted or culturally significant holidays is a recurring complaint across Karnataka's private institutions, and the absence of a transparent, universally applied holiday policy is the structural gap being exploited here. The Deputy Commissioner's response — or silence — will be the real indicator of whether this is resolved on educational terms or hardens into a flashpoint.
NationPress
12 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did students protest at the Mangaluru college on 12 October?
Students and ABVP members protested because the college scheduled semester examinations from 12 to 28 October, a period overlapping with Dasara festival holidays. They had earlier submitted a memorandum requesting a schedule change but alleged the management did not respond.
Who was detained during the Mangaluru protest?
Police detained several ABVP activists and students who were blocking the college's main entrance. Protesters responded by standing in front of police vehicles and, in some cases, lying on the road to prevent the detained individuals from being taken away.
Did the college postpone the examinations after the protest?
No. The college management proceeded with the examinations as originally scheduled despite the protest and the demands for postponement. The principal did not come out to make a formal announcement as the students had demanded.
What action did students take beyond the college campus?
Protesters submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Mangaluru district, seeking administrative intervention. ABVP leaders also warned that the agitation could intensify if the management did not address students' demands.
Which college was at the centre of the protest?
The protest took place at a college located in Bendurwell, Mangaluru, Karnataka. The college had reportedly been informed of students' objections before the examinations commenced.
