Kolkata: Governor C V Ananda Bose on Monday asked the vice-chancellor of Jadavpur University Amitava Dutta to resign. According to sources, Datta has been asked to put down papers with immediate effect.
It was Governor Bose who had appointed Datta as interim vice-chancellor of the varsity in June. However, Datta was not enjoying the facilities he was entitled to, which might have led the Governor, who happens to be the chancellor, to ask him to step down. “We have passed the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the state Assembly to stop such aberrations in universities,” Basu said when questioned about the Governor asking the V-C of JU to resign.
“ I have no personal opinion on this issue. He is the chancellor and we will function as per his instructions. It is entirely his prerogative,” Datta said.
Educationists’ forum, comprising former vice-chancellors, in a statement said: “West Bengal expresses its deep concern over the arbitrary appointment and arbitrary removal of professors in-charge exercising powers and functions of vice-chancellors in various universities. Such arbitrariness exposes the grave design of the chancellor of universities to destabilise and dismantle higher education in the state.”