Scottish Church College suspends five students for a year

The Scottish Church College authorities suspended five students including some students union leaders for threatening and putting pressure on teachers. 

Those suspended include Souradip Sinha (Botany), Sayak Chatterjee (Political Science), Priyanka Roy (English) and Kaushik Ghosh (Business Administration), all third year students, and second year Computer Science student Somnath Biswas.

These students will not be able to enter the college for a year. Seventeen other students were warned by the college authorities, saying strong action will be taken if they indulged in similar activities in future.

The college, which was shut after some unruly students allegedly entered into an administrative meeting last Wednesday and threatened the teachers present there, opened on Tuesday. At the governing body meeting on Tuesday, it was decided to suspend the trouble makers.

The classes and other activities related to the curriculum will start from Wednesday. State education minister Partha Chatterjee was informed about the matter. Chatterjee reportedly called up the college authority and asked them to reopen the college before Puja, without fearing the threats from students’ unions.

Scottish Church College management had decided to shut down the institute indefinitely following students’ unrest. Some students allegedly entered into the administrative meeting last Wednesday and demanded the return of former principal Amit Abraham, who resigned from his post about a month ago.

The decision  to shut down the college was taken after the incident. The college authorities, however, decided to reopen the college on Tuesday after a discussion with the state education department. The college authorities on Monday had clarified that the college would reopen on Tuesday, but no classes would be held. There will be a meeting of teachers and the governing body. The classes will begin from Wednesday.

The agitation started around 3.30pm last Wednesday and continued till 9.30pm. A group of 15-20 students started the agitation.

The students started knocking on the door when a building committee meeting was underway. A new building, being built with UGC funds, is coming up on the campus. Managing Rector and Secretary John Abraham, who is also a member of the building committee, was present at the meeting. The students shouted “Go back Rector”.

The agitating student demanded the return of former Principal Amit Abraham, who resigned from his post about a month back. A former principal John Abraham was reinstated as Managing Rector. The appointment of John was not taken kindly by students unions allegedly because John allowed excess admission this year.

“No such incident will be repeated in Scottish, the ministry will take strong action against mischief makers,” said an education department source.