News Analysis India

Tag: Jadavpur University

  • Jadavpur University’s science faculty Dean resigns amid student suicide row 

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The Dean of Science at Jadavpur University, who was the head of an internal committee set up to probe a student’s death following an incident of ragging tendered his resignation on Sunday triggering murmur about the fate of the ongoing inquiry.

    Subinay Chakrabarty’s resignation came a day after West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose appointed Buddhadeb Sau, a mathematics professor, as the officiating vice-chancellor of the university. The premier institution in Kolkata was being run without a VC.

    Chakrabarty, as the head of the internal eight-member probe committee, visited the hostel building where the victim fresher was staying and collected statements of many students which pointed towards suspected incidents of ragging that apparently led to the tragedy.

    Chakbaraty was in charge of the university in the absence of the registrar of the institution on August 9 when the tragedy took place. The committee also sent a report to the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Saturday describing that ragging seemed to be one of the ‘probable causes’ behind the student’s death.  

    Chakrabarty, however, mentioned personal issues as the reason behind his resignation, but his unhappiness over the issue of Sau’s appointment as the officiating VC was doing the rounds. A section of professors of the university found the governor’s decision to select Sau as the VC of the institution led the head of the internal probe committee to step down.

    “Chakrabarty’s name was doing the rounds as the VC of the university. The newly appointed officiating VC was one of his students and it seems, Chakrabarty could not accept the governor’s decision,” said a professor of the university.         

    Unhappy with the university’s earlier report on the incident and action taken following the tragedy, the central government’s statutory body asked the JU authorities to reply to its 12-point queries within a stipulated time.

    On Sunday, police arrested another former student of the university in connection with the alleged ragging resulting in the fresher’s death. The total number of arrests in connection with the incident has gone up to 13.“During the course of interrogation of the accused, we came to know there were at least 15 persons present in the hostel building where the freshers were allegedly ragged. The arrested suspects were present there at the time of the incident,” said a police officer. 

    KOLKATA: The Dean of Science at Jadavpur University, who was the head of an internal committee set up to probe a student’s death following an incident of ragging tendered his resignation on Sunday triggering murmur about the fate of the ongoing inquiry.

    Subinay Chakrabarty’s resignation came a day after West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose appointed Buddhadeb Sau, a mathematics professor, as the officiating vice-chancellor of the university. The premier institution in Kolkata was being run without a VC.

    Chakrabarty, as the head of the internal eight-member probe committee, visited the hostel building where the victim fresher was staying and collected statements of many students which pointed towards suspected incidents of ragging that apparently led to the tragedy.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Chakbaraty was in charge of the university in the absence of the registrar of the institution on August 9 when the tragedy took place. The committee also sent a report to the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Saturday describing that ragging seemed to be one of the ‘probable causes’ behind the student’s death.  

    Chakrabarty, however, mentioned personal issues as the reason behind his resignation, but his unhappiness over the issue of Sau’s appointment as the officiating VC was doing the rounds. A section of professors of the university found the governor’s decision to select Sau as the VC of the institution led the head of the internal probe committee to step down.

    “Chakrabarty’s name was doing the rounds as the VC of the university. The newly appointed officiating VC was one of his students and it seems, Chakrabarty could not accept the governor’s decision,” said a professor of the university.         

    Unhappy with the university’s earlier report on the incident and action taken following the tragedy, the central government’s statutory body asked the JU authorities to reply to its 12-point queries within a stipulated time.

    On Sunday, police arrested another former student of the university in connection with the alleged ragging resulting in the fresher’s death. The total number of arrests in connection with the incident has gone up to 13.“During the course of interrogation of the accused, we came to know there were at least 15 persons present in the hostel building where the freshers were allegedly ragged. The arrested suspects were present there at the time of the incident,” said a police officer.
     

  • UGC asks Jadavpur University to submit report on student’s death

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday sought a report from the Jadavpur University authorities on its finding in the death of a first-year student who is said to be a victim of alleged ragging by seniors.

    The UGC’s anti-ragging cell asked the university authorities to submit the report by August 21. Following receipt of the report, the UGC will dispatch a team of its anti-ragging cell to conduct an on-the-ground inquiry, said a JU official.

    The UGC, in its communication, has provided a format that the university must follow while submitting the report. According to the format, the institution must provide information on its anti-ragging committee’s inquiry and the conclusion it reached.

    “The central government’s statutory body, in its format, asked the university authorities to mention the CCTVs installed on the campus covering the hostels for its students. It is a fact that there were no CCTVs where the incident took place. But in the UGC guideline, installation of CCTVs was clearly mentioned,” said another JU official.

    After visiting the campus on Sunday, joint commissioner of police Shankhashubhra Chatterjee admitted that the CCTVs were not present and there were a few that were not functional.

    Swapnodeep Kundu, a resident of Bagula in Nadia, was found lying naked on the ground in front of the building that houses his hostel room on the second floor on Thursday last week. The student, who is yet to turn 18, was rushed to a private hospital in an unconscious condition where he succumbed to his injuries.

    ALSO READ | Two more students arrested in first-year student’s death in Jadavpur University

    The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) visited the family of the deceased on Sunday and said brutal torture and sexual assault were performed on the victim.

    Police already arrested three persons, a former student and two second-year students, in connection with Swapnodeep’s death. His family lodged a complaint alleging that the student was ragged and murdered by senior students.

    The Commission for Child Protection Rights, too, served a notice on the university asking it to inform the measures that were taken to prevent ragging.

    On Monday, the heat of the unnatural death of a student in Kolkata’s one of the premiere institutions spread to other parts of the state capital as students of other institutions staged demonstrations.

    The students of Aliah University in Park Circus staged a demonstration in protest against Swapnodeep’s death. The activists of SFI, the student wing of the CPM, put up a roadblock in front of Jadavpur University.

    KOLKATA: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Monday sought a report from the Jadavpur University authorities on its finding in the death of a first-year student who is said to be a victim of alleged ragging by seniors.

    The UGC’s anti-ragging cell asked the university authorities to submit the report by August 21. Following receipt of the report, the UGC will dispatch a team of its anti-ragging cell to conduct an on-the-ground inquiry, said a JU official.

    The UGC, in its communication, has provided a format that the university must follow while submitting the report. According to the format, the institution must provide information on its anti-ragging committee’s inquiry and the conclusion it reached.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “The central government’s statutory body, in its format, asked the university authorities to mention the CCTVs installed on the campus covering the hostels for its students. It is a fact that there were no CCTVs where the incident took place. But in the UGC guideline, installation of CCTVs was clearly mentioned,” said another JU official.

    After visiting the campus on Sunday, joint commissioner of police Shankhashubhra Chatterjee admitted that the CCTVs were not present and there were a few that were not functional.

    Swapnodeep Kundu, a resident of Bagula in Nadia, was found lying naked on the ground in front of the building that houses his hostel room on the second floor on Thursday last week. The student, who is yet to turn 18, was rushed to a private hospital in an unconscious condition where he succumbed to his injuries.

    ALSO READ | Two more students arrested in first-year student’s death in Jadavpur University

    The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) visited the family of the deceased on Sunday and said brutal torture and sexual assault were performed on the victim.

    Police already arrested three persons, a former student and two second-year students, in connection with Swapnodeep’s death. His family lodged a complaint alleging that the student was ragged and murdered by senior students.

    The Commission for Child Protection Rights, too, served a notice on the university asking it to inform the measures that were taken to prevent ragging.

    On Monday, the heat of the unnatural death of a student in Kolkata’s one of the premiere institutions spread to other parts of the state capital as students of other institutions staged demonstrations.

    The students of Aliah University in Park Circus staged a demonstration in protest against Swapnodeep’s death. The activists of SFI, the student wing of the CPM, put up a roadblock in front of Jadavpur University.

  • JU fresher death: Ex-student remanded to police custody till August 22

    By IANS

    KOLKATA: A local court in Kolkata on Saturday remanded till August 22 a former student on the charges of murdering a first-year student of the varsity.

    Sourav Chowdhary, who completed his post-graduation in Maths from the varsity, was arrested late Friday evening on the charges of killing Swapnadip Kundu.

    Sourav ChowdharyAlthough the public prosecutor sought his police custody till August 25, the court allowed it till August 22.

    Chowdhary was named in the FIR filed by the victim’s father Ramprasad Kundu in which he described the former JU student as the key accused behind the ragging that happened at the student’s hostel balcony off which the victim had fallen on August 10 and died.

    Chowdhary is reported to have a major say in accommodation arrangements at the student’s hostel.

    The night before Swapnadip’s body was recovered from front of the hostel, he appeared very restless and constantly said that he is not a “gay”, investigating officials said on the information provided by hostel-mates of the victim.

    The victim’s shy approach towards the female students prompted the offenders to label him as a “gay”, the officials added.

    The night before he even called up his parents who stayed at Nadia and narrated to them about the ragging he was undergoing. Besides the routine police inquiry, the JU authorities have also decided to conduct an internal inquiry into the matter.

    A committee consisting of university teachers from various departments along with representatives from the different students’ councils has been constituted for that purpose.

    The said committee, headed by the science department dean of JU Subinoy Chakraborty, is supposed to complete the internal probe within 15 days and submit a report to the university authorities.

    ALSO READ | First-year student dies under mysterious circumstances at Jadavpur University in West Bengal

    ALSO READ | Kolkata: Jadavpur University student’s death triggers political slugfest

    KOLKATA: A local court in Kolkata on Saturday remanded till August 22 a former student on the charges of murdering a first-year student of the varsity.

    Sourav Chowdhary, who completed his post-graduation in Maths from the varsity, was arrested late Friday evening on the charges of killing Swapnadip Kundu.

    Sourav ChowdharyAlthough the public prosecutor sought his police custody till August 25, the court allowed it till August 22.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Chowdhary was named in the FIR filed by the victim’s father Ramprasad Kundu in which he described the former JU student as the key accused behind the ragging that happened at the student’s hostel balcony off which the victim had fallen on August 10 and died.

    Chowdhary is reported to have a major say in accommodation arrangements at the student’s hostel.

    The night before Swapnadip’s body was recovered from front of the hostel, he appeared very restless and constantly said that he is not a “gay”, investigating officials said on the information provided by hostel-mates of the victim.

    The victim’s shy approach towards the female students prompted the offenders to label him as a “gay”, the officials added.

    The night before he even called up his parents who stayed at Nadia and narrated to them about the ragging he was undergoing. Besides the routine police inquiry, the JU authorities have also decided to conduct an internal inquiry into the matter.

    A committee consisting of university teachers from various departments along with representatives from the different students’ councils has been constituted for that purpose.

    The said committee, headed by the science department dean of JU Subinoy Chakraborty, is supposed to complete the internal probe within 15 days and submit a report to the university authorities.

    ALSO READ | First-year student dies under mysterious circumstances at Jadavpur University in West Bengal

    ALSO READ | Kolkata: Jadavpur University student’s death triggers political slugfest

  • JU fresher death: Former student admits to ragging victim, held

    By IANS

    KOLKATA: A local court in Kolkata on Saturday remanded till August 22 a former student on the charges of murdering a first-year student of the varsity.

    Sourav Chowdhary, who completed his post-graduation in Maths from the varsity, was arrested late Friday evening on the charges of killing Swapnadip Kundu.

    Sourav ChowdharyAlthough the public prosecutor sought his police custody till August 25, the court allowed it till August 22.

    Chowdhary was named in the FIR filed by the victim’s father Ramprasad Kundu in which he described the former JU student as the key accused behind the ragging that happened at the student’s hostel balcony off which the victim had fallen on August 10 and died.

    Chowdhary is reported to have a major say in accommodation arrangements at the student’s hostel.

    The night before Swapnadip’s body was recovered from front of the hostel, he appeared very restless and constantly said that he is not a “gay person”, investigating officials said on the information provided by hostel-mates of the victim.

    The victim’s shy approach towards the female students prompted the offenders to label him as a “gay person”, the officials added.

    The night before he even called up his parents who stayed at Nadia and narrated to them about the ragging he was undergoing. Besides the routine police inquiry, the JU authorities have also decided to conduct an internal inquiry into the matter.

    A committee consisting of university teachers from various departments along with representatives from the different students’ councils has been constituted for that purpose.

    The said committee, headed by the science department dean of JU Subinoy Chakraborty, is supposed to complete the internal probe within 15 days and submit a report to the university authorities.

    Swapnadip, a resident of Bagula in Nadia, who took admission at the university on August 3, was found lying naked on the ground in front of the building that houses his hostel room on the second floor. He was rushed to a private hospital in an unconscious condition, but succumbed to his injuries soon after.

    ALSO READ | First-year student dies under mysterious circumstances at Jadavpur University in West Bengal

    ALSO READ | Kolkata: Jadavpur University student’s death triggers political slugfest

    KOLKATA: A local court in Kolkata on Saturday remanded till August 22 a former student on the charges of murdering a first-year student of the varsity.

    Sourav Chowdhary, who completed his post-graduation in Maths from the varsity, was arrested late Friday evening on the charges of killing Swapnadip Kundu.

    Sourav ChowdharyAlthough the public prosecutor sought his police custody till August 25, the court allowed it till August 22.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    Chowdhary was named in the FIR filed by the victim’s father Ramprasad Kundu in which he described the former JU student as the key accused behind the ragging that happened at the student’s hostel balcony off which the victim had fallen on August 10 and died.

    Chowdhary is reported to have a major say in accommodation arrangements at the student’s hostel.

    The night before Swapnadip’s body was recovered from front of the hostel, he appeared very restless and constantly said that he is not a “gay person”, investigating officials said on the information provided by hostel-mates of the victim.

    The victim’s shy approach towards the female students prompted the offenders to label him as a “gay person”, the officials added.

    The night before he even called up his parents who stayed at Nadia and narrated to them about the ragging he was undergoing. Besides the routine police inquiry, the JU authorities have also decided to conduct an internal inquiry into the matter.

    A committee consisting of university teachers from various departments along with representatives from the different students’ councils has been constituted for that purpose.

    The said committee, headed by the science department dean of JU Subinoy Chakraborty, is supposed to complete the internal probe within 15 days and submit a report to the university authorities.

    Swapnadip, a resident of Bagula in Nadia, who took admission at the university on August 3, was found lying naked on the ground in front of the building that houses his hostel room on the second floor. He was rushed to a private hospital in an unconscious condition, but succumbed to his injuries soon after.

    ALSO READ | First-year student dies under mysterious circumstances at Jadavpur University in West Bengal

    ALSO READ | Kolkata: Jadavpur University student’s death triggers political slugfest

  • Kolkata: Jadavpur University student’s death triggers political slugfest

    By Express News Service

    KOLKATA: The death of a first-year student of Jadavpur University under mysterious circumstances has led to a political slugfest between the ruling TMC and the principal opposition party, BJP on Friday as both held each other responsible for the tragedy.

    The microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) became the ground for the slugfest.

    BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar accused the state government of failing to curb ragging in colleges.

    However, education minister, Bratya Basu retaliated saying the university functions under the direct control of Governor CV Ananda Bose.

     “JU incident proves that the West Bengal Government has failed to establish true governance in the education sector,” said Majumdar in his message on the microblogging platform. He blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to eradicate ragging. 

    “Shame on WB government.. My deepest condolences with the family of Swapnodeep Kundu,” Majumdar said.

    Hitting back at the saffron camp, Basu said that BJP is now finding fault with the state government whenever unfortunate occurrences take place in the state. 

    The BJP State President, in his haste to blame us, has forgotten that the Jadavpur University is under the direct control of the Governor! So, it is his failure and in turn the failure of his political masters to control this deplorable incident!”

    During the tenure of previous governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, the state Assembly passed a Bill replacing the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of all state-run universities but the move could not be implemented as an Act as the Raj Bhavan is still yet to give a nod to it.

    Swapnodeep, a resident of Bagula in Nadia got admission to the university on August 3. He was found lying naked on the ground near his hostel room on Wednesday night.

    He was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

    His mother said she had received a call after her son attended the first day’s classes on Wednesday.

    “But he made another call to his mother on Thursday and expressed his fear. He requested to take him back home,” said Swapnodeep’s uncle Arup Kundu.

    Shortly after Swapnodeep’s parents lodged a complaint with the police alleging he was a victim of ragging in the hostel, the university authorities chose to take some action on Friday.

    The first-year students were segregated from the senior students in a separate building. “Besides, we prohibited the entry of outsiders and former students of the university to the hostels,” said an official of the institution.  

    KOLKATA: The death of a first-year student of Jadavpur University under mysterious circumstances has led to a political slugfest between the ruling TMC and the principal opposition party, BJP on Friday as both held each other responsible for the tragedy.

    The microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) became the ground for the slugfest.

    BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar accused the state government of failing to curb ragging in colleges.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    However, education minister, Bratya Basu retaliated saying the university functions under the direct control of Governor CV Ananda Bose.

     “JU incident proves that the West Bengal Government has failed to establish true governance in the education sector,” said Majumdar in his message on the microblogging platform. He blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for failing to eradicate ragging. 

    “Shame on WB government.. My deepest condolences with the family of Swapnodeep Kundu,” Majumdar said.

    Hitting back at the saffron camp, Basu said that BJP is now finding fault with the state government whenever unfortunate occurrences take place in the state. 

    The BJP State President, in his haste to blame us, has forgotten that the Jadavpur University is under the direct control of the Governor! So, it is his failure and in turn the failure of his political masters to control this deplorable incident!”

    During the tenure of previous governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, the state Assembly passed a Bill replacing the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of all state-run universities but the move could not be implemented as an Act as the Raj Bhavan is still yet to give a nod to it.

    Swapnodeep, a resident of Bagula in Nadia got admission to the university on August 3. He was found lying naked on the ground near his hostel room on Wednesday night.

    He was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

    His mother said she had received a call after her son attended the first day’s classes on Wednesday.

    “But he made another call to his mother on Thursday and expressed his fear. He requested to take him back home,” said Swapnodeep’s uncle Arup Kundu.

    Shortly after Swapnodeep’s parents lodged a complaint with the police alleging he was a victim of ragging in the hostel, the university authorities chose to take some action on Friday.

    The first-year students were segregated from the senior students in a separate building. “Besides, we prohibited the entry of outsiders and former students of the university to the hostels,” said an official of the institution.  

  • After pointing out ‘mess’ at GTA, now Bengal Governor attacks Mamata over appointments of VCs of 24 universities

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Thursday claimed that appointments of vice-chancellors of 24 universities in the state were made without his approval or in defiance of orders.

    Dhankhar is the ex-officio chancellor of the state-run universities, including Calcutta University, Jadavpur University and Presidency University.

    “VCs of 24 Universities appointed @MamataOfficial in disregard of law. These are ex facie in defiance of specific orders or without approval by Chancellor-the Appointing Authority,” the governor tweeted.

    “These appointments carry no legal sanction and would be forced to take action unless soon recalled,” he added.

    The warning comes close on the heels of chancellors and vice-chancellors of private universities not attending a meeting called by the governor earlier in the month at the Raj Bhawan here.

    Dhankhar is the visitor of private universities in the state.

    Claiming that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) — an autonomous district council for Darjeeling and Kalimpong areas, was in a complete “mess”, Dhankhar on Wednesday sought updates about its operations from officials concerned.

    He also noted that GTA accounts have not been audited by CAG since its formation a decade ago.

    The governor, who is on a visit to Darjeeling, has asked the GTA administrator to personally update him about the council’s operations and way of functioning.

    He also sought an explanation in writing for “non-compliance of earlier directives”.

    “GTA @MamataOfficial in a mess. No CAG Audit for a decade since inception. No report to Governor #GTA functioning as per Section 55 (10) GTA Act, 2011,” Dhankhar tweeted.

    “Administrator #GTA directed to personally update and make available Reports under Section 55(10) of GTA Act by 30 December, 2021,” he said.

    Section 55 (10) of GTA Act, 2011 stipulates that the governor shall obtain a report on the functioning of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and cause that report to be laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly annually.

    The governor, in a letter to the GTA administrator, a copy of which was attached with the Twitter message, said that a disturbing situation has arisen, pointing towards “serious dereliction of duty by the concerned” with no report being made available to him in spite of firm directives.

    He also said that on the last occasion, the secretary of GTA, under instructions of the then administrator, who was on leave, had called on him in Darjeeling.

    Maintaining that there has been no response to issues flagged for urgent intervention by the administrator, the governor stated that “a serious view of the same is taken at this end and for such acts of omission and commission appropriate steps will emanate.”

    Insisting that the sequence of events indicate a determined defiance of the administrator, Dhankhar said inputs received on his end allege that GTA has become a “den of corruption”, where funds have been wrongly utilised in the absence of audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  • Jadavpur University teachers’ body slams West Bengal government for not allowing online interview

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) on Friday slammed the decision of West Bengal Higher Education department to turn down the request of the premier state university to allow it admit students to science stream on the basis of online interview/discussions.

    The Jadavpur university authorities last week had sent a proposal to the department to allow it to conduct admission to the science stream on the basis of marks awarded in the higher secondary examination as well as assessment made by the faculty on the basis of online interview/discussion with the students on 80:20 ratio.

    However, in its reply on Thursday, the higher education department said “with reference to your letter dated 23.07.21…I am directed to request you to follow the existing norms”, indicating the earlier direction to the state universities not to conduct any admission test in any format for UG and PG courses.

    JU Pro-Vice Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said, “We are yet to decide on the modalities after the higher education department reply. We will take a decision very soon.” JUTA, the representative body of JU faculty, said the move will severely compromise the high academic standard set by JU and an affront on the functional autonomy of the august institution.

    “Due to the COVID-19 restrictions we cannot organise any demonstration at the campus at present, but we will certainly chalk out other forms of protest soon,” JUTA general secretary Partha Pratim Roy said. “While private universities will be able to screen their students through their admission procedures, only state universities are singled out and their autonomy interfered with,” he said.

    The university had last week decided if the 80:20 ratio formula for undergraduate (UG) admission (80 per cent weightage to higher secondary marks and 20 per cent weightage to online interview/ discussion assessment) to science stream was allowed, similar criteria will be used for arts stream.

    Roy also regretted that the state higher education department is yet to formulate any stand on the recent UGC guidelines to the universities about ways to conduct the semester exams which were already conducted in June by many universities.

    “While the higher education department is too eager to stipulate the admission criteria of state universities, it is yet to take a call on the last UGC communication to universities in July about ways to hold semester exams, which has totally confused students and teachers at the same time where semester exams had been held in June already,” he said.

  • Bengal’s Jadavpur University to remain close till May 3 amid spike in COVID cases

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Jadavpur University authorities on Saturday announced that the institution will remain closed till May 3 due to sudden spike of COVID-19 cases in West Bengal.

    JU Registrar Snehamanju Basu told PTI only basic emergency services, required for giving logistical support to online classes and running administrative work on the virtual mode for the time being, will be run from the campus with the presence of very few staff who will be given all necessary protection to avert contamination.

    The institution will remain closed from April 24 to May 3, officials said.

    The move followed several members of the university faculty and other staff being infected with the virus in past couple of days as the varsity had opened its administrative building which is the hub of academic activities and many faculty members and top official’s attended the office as COVID-19 cases had dipped in the state in past months.

    “With the sudden rise, we need to break the chain. Hence the decision. We are also sanitising all the buildings and blocks in an extensive manner,” Basu said.

    All the senior functionaries including Vice-Chancellor Prof Suranjan Das, Basu herself, faculty members are working from home.

    A senior functionary of Jadavpur University Teachers Association said to their knowledge university authority will review the situation on May 3 and take decision about whether the campus can be opened for academic and administrative works with 50 per cent attendance, based on the emerging situation.

  • ‘Pose major threat to farming community’: Over 400 academicians flag concern regarding agri laws

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Over 400 academicians from India and several universities abroad have extended support to the protesting farmers and urged the Centre to repeal the three new agri reform laws, which they said, “pose a major threat to farming communities”.

    Expressing concerns about the ongoing farmers’ agitation and their suffering at the borders of Delhi, they, in a joint statement, said: “The three new laws that have been enacted by the government are aimed at bringing in fundamental changes in the way farming will be done in the country and they pose a major threat to farming communities all over India.”

    The government must re-look at these issues and a nationwide debate should be launched starting at the village level, involving stakeholders from all sections of society before framing laws and policies which will help farming communities and other marginalised communities in the long-term, the statement said.

    Last month, over 850 academicians from various educational institutions across the country had signed an open letter backing the legislations.

    The 400-odd academicians in their statement said, “The three new laws that have been enacted by the government are aimed at bringing in fundamental changes in the way farming will be done in the country and they pose a major threat to farming communities all over India.”

    “The government must re-look at these issues. A nationwide debate should be launched starting at the village level, involving stakeholders from all sections of society before framing laws and policies which will help farming communities and other marginalised communities in the long-term. To pave the way for solving farmers issues, the current laws should be abandoned without any further delay,” it added.

    The 413 signatories to the statement include academicians from universities and institutions including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jadavpur University, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore, Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata, Delhi University, Panjab University, Tezpur University, Central university of Punjab, IIT Bombay and IIM Calcutta.

    A few signatories are from foreign universities including University of Zagreb, Croatia; London Film School, University of Johannesburg, University of Oslo, University of Massachusetts and University of Pittsburgh.

    The academicians recommended that farming could be made into a sustainable and profitable activity by announcing minimum support price (MSP) for a large number of crops, specifying state-wise quotas for government procurement, and making the MSP rate legally binding for all other buyers as well.

    The statement also called for price control on farm inputs such as manure, seeds and power, farm loan waivers, and a revival of the village-based development model so that migration to cities could be curtailed.

    It warned that the Centre’s proposed “commodity market model” was not viable in India as it could lead to food instability and exploitation of small farmers.

    “The winding up of government controlled markets allowing contract farming by companies will lead to land-owning farmers slowly being forced to become tenants, the way they were in the older feudal system of land holdings,” said the statement.

    Thousands of farmers have been camping at several Delhi border points, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws — the Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act — and legal guarantee of minimum support price for their crops.

    Enacted in September 2020, the government has presented these laws as major farm reforms aimed at increasing farmers’ income, but the protesting farmers have raised concerns that these legislations would weaken the minimum support price (MSP) and “mandi” (wholesale market) systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporations.

    The government has maintained that these apprehensions are misplaced and has ruled out a repeal of the laws.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Teachers associations of JU express concern over ‘series of incidents’ in varsity

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Three teachers associations of Jadavpur University in a joint letter to Vice-Chancellor Prof Suranjan Das have voiced concern over “series of incidents” in the varsity over the delayed publication of results and the delay in admission of students in the current academic session.

    The Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA), All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (JU chapter) and West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association in a joint letter to Das said any attempt of confinement of association members or any harassment of teachers should be firmly dealt with zero tolerance.

    “Teachers of the university have put their best efforts for the publication of results in the best interest of students, even during the pandemic period, but they will not discharge any further duty under pressure in future.

    In the recent past, many teacher members who attended meetings of academic bodies were confined in such meeting till late into the night.

    In this backdrop we urge the administration to ensure and limit the duration of meetings to a durable span of time,” the letter said.

    “We strongly believe in academic autonomy and internal democracy and we strongly feel that the democratic right of a section cannot curb the democratic right of others.

    Any problem within the university framework should be solved in the spirit of deliberation and discussion,” the letter said.

    The teacher bodies asked the varsity authorities to take necessary action in consultation with respective faculty councils and examination committee to hold the exams which could not take place in the scheduled time due to the pandemic crisis and felt the claims and objections raised by students “need to be redressed within a stipulated time so that their recurring impact can be avoided.

    ” About the exam procedure, the three teachers’ bodies said all confidential data about examination must be kept in the custody of Controller of Examinations and “any third party who may be assigned by the university to develop software/data analysis must work under the supervision of the controller of exams.Appropriate mechanism for better coordination between the JUMS team and the Controller of Exams have to be in place for quick and error-free result publication.

    ” Observing the democratic functions of all statutory academic bodies is the need of the hour, the three teacher bodies representing all the teachers of the university, said: “we feel any kind of dilution in evaluation of students and result publication will affect the academic reputation of the university.

    ” The organisations said the absence of new university statute, which is due since 2013, has made the university system more centralized and less democratic which is also one of the contributing factor behind the present situation.

    “We feel the delay in holding exams and the publication of faulty results is largely due to the non- functional state of affairs in the examination section of the university,” the teachers bodies said.

    The letter was signed by JUTA spokesman Partha Pratim Roy, Goutam Maity from ABUTA and Rajyeswar Sinha from WBCUTA.

    On December 29, the Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jadavpur University, Amitava Datta resigned from the post, 20 days after taking over charge due to some personal reasons and health issues.

    Earlier in December the Dean (interim) Science, Professor Subir Mukhopadhyay resigned from the post alleging humiliation by the students’ union.

    In successive weeks of December, a section of students of engineering and technology faculty had gheraoed the VC, Pro-VC and other top officials for around 12 hours on the issue of comprehensive, total publication of final semester results after 11 months and taking the students into confidence in the entire process.

    No university official was available for comments.