Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who is also the chancellor, on Friday sought a report from Jadavpur University (JU) over the ongoing mess in the admission process while engineering students joined their counterparts in Humanities stream in the protest.
Differences among teachers over EC’s decision to scrap the admission test in six Arts subjects came to light on Friday as teachers of the English department decided to keep themselves outside the admission process. JU authorities claimed that they have sent the report to Mr Tripathi.
The environment at the campus remained tense as the vice-chancellor remained confined to his office along with the registrar.
JU authorities announced the admission dates after the Admission Committee meeting this evening. The dates are 27,28, 30 and 31 July. The ongoing application procedure for the aspirants will be resumed from on Friday.
Trouble aggravated with several students, particularly from outside Bengal, flocking in to appear for the admission test that was earlier scheduled on Friday. Students not only from different corners of the state, but from as far as Rajasthan came to testify their destiny at the premier institute.
An aspirant from Murshidabad, after shining in the Higher Secondary examination, came last night to the university with dreams of getting a chance at the institute.
However, the news of cancellation of the entrance test turned him pale. “I had come here with dreams of studying in this renowned institute but now I do not know what to do. I am still hoping to get a chance here and waiting for peace to prevail,” he said.
Another student who came from Malda, expressed a similar difficulty, “Although the entrance test remains cancelled, I am hoping for the best. I have been given hopes by the present students here who have promised me for an opportunity in the university.”
Apart from Rajasthan, there was also news of an aspirant coming from Vietnam for seeking admission. However, he was unavailable to express his perspective.
Amidst the ongoing verbal scuffle, the vice-chancellor of the university spoke to the media this evening slamming a section of it for presenting incidents at JU without actually referring to their context.
Taking a dig at some of the media houses, he said: “Every incident has a context. However, what is unfortunate is that certain section of media has represented the incidents at JU without referring to their context,” he lamented.
Refuting the issue of the teachers of the English department going against the cancellation of the entrance test, the V-C said that although the department was not happy with the decision, their representatives agreed to the process which is meant for the current year admissions only.
He reminded once again that the decision of entrance test being cancelled was taken only because the authorities could not reach to a consensus regarding the issue.
While six members supported the decision of the authorities, other six desired for a mixture of 50:50 internal and external faculty checking the entrance test papers, while one of the members wanted it to be fully outsourced.
Mr Das further pointed out that in no universities in the country admission modalities are decided by the students. It is decided by the concerned authorities only.
The V-C also condemned the gherao by the protesting students. He said: “Students have all the rights to protest but in a democratic manner.”
He also posed the question if the wrongful confinement of the V-C was justified, why no media highlighted or condemned the act.
Meanwhile, reacting to growing charges of money extortion at Calcutta University affiliated colleges, Jaya Dutta, the state president of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad, was removed from the post during the late hours on Wednesday.