Kolkata: Concerning campus safety and administrative accountability, the Calcutta High Court directed Jadavpur University to convene an urgent meeting of its executive council to address pressing security concerns, including the installation of CCTV cameras.
The directive comes amid a leadership vacuum at the premier educational institution.
The bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De issued the order while hearing a public interest litigation. The petitioner raised concerns regarding the failure of the university to implement security measures recommended by a coordinate bench of the court.
During the hearing, it was revealed that the university has been functioning without a permanent Vice-Chancellor for the past two years. Although Prof. Bhaskar Gupta served as Vice-Chancellor pursuant to a court order from April 20, 2024, his tenure ended on March 28, 2025. Since then, the Pro Vice-Chancellor has been managing the responsibilities of the Vice-Chancellor.
The court recorded the affidavit-in-opposition which attributed the delay in implementing security measures, including the installation of CCTV cameras, to the absence of a permanent Vice-Chancellor and administrative bottlenecks.
Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Court requested the acting Pro Vice-Chancellor to convene a meeting of the Executive Council within four weeks to address the pending issues. A comprehensive report detailing the steps taken towards implementing prior court directions is to be submitted.
Additionally, the Court emphasized that any financial grants due to the university from the state government must be released within a reasonable timeframe to ensure smooth functioning and the implementation of essential security measures. The state government has also been directed to file its own affidavit in the meantime.
The matter is scheduled to appear again before the Court on July 17, 2025.