State opposes KNU’s decision to host convocation sans permanent V-C

Kolkata: The difference between Bengal’s Governor and the state government jumped to the forefront over hosting the convocation of Kazi Nazrul University (KNU) at Asansol.

The interim vice-chancellor (V-C) of the university has invited Governor C V Ananda Bose, who is the Chancellor of the university, to grace the ceremony on March 27. The Higher Education department has written to the varsity objecting to its decision to hold the convocation at a time when there is no permanent V-C in position.

The letter stated that a case regarding appointment of V-Cs is pending before the court and in case of Kazi Nazrul University too, the V-C is appointed by the Governor which is not endorsed by the state government. Hence, it is desirable not to hold the convocation in this backdrop. Debasish Bandopadhyay, who was the head of the English department of Rabindra Bharati University, has been appointed the interim V-C of Kazi Nazrul University by Bose after removing Sadhan Chakraborty. A university official said that convocation is being held in the varsity after six years. The authorities will seek legal opinion before deciding on the matter.