JU admission row: Impasse likely to be resolved today

Kolkata: The stalemate at Jadavpur University shows signs of resolve by Tuesday with the university authorities deciding to convene a meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) on Tuesday afternoon. The development comes after a letter from Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, the Chancellor of the varsity reached the Vice-Chancellor in the evening urging the latter to take necessary steps as per statute of the university.

The Chancellor in his letter also reiterated that the students have to abide by the decision of the EC, which is the highest decision making body at the varsity.

The university had sought opinion of the Chancellor after furnishing a detailed report on the sequence of events that had unfolded at the varsity with the students resorting to agitation since Wednesday after the university announced scrapping of admission tests at the undergraduate level for six humanities subjects.

A press statement issued from Governor House stated: "The Honourable Governor Shri Tripathi as the Chancellor of Jadavpur University is concerned about the high reputation of the University as also the well-being and health of the students of the University, who are on hunger strike. He has already replied to the letter of the Vice-Chancellor on the issues involved."

The Governor also appealed to the students of JU to uphold the prestige of the University and withdraw the strike so that the situation returns back to normalcy.

Earlier in the day, JU VC Suranjan Das met members of the students' union, agitating infront of the administrative building Aurobindo Bhavan, and urged them to withdraw their stir.

He maintained that it was his job to implement the orders of the university's EC but he was "willing to look for a solution" keeping the interest of students in mind. "As long as I am occupying the V-C's chair, I have to go by the decision taken in the meeting of EC. What I feel about the issue at a personal level doesn't matter. However, I do have the interest of students in mind," he said.

Somashree Choudhury, the chairperson of art's student union, said the indefinite strike by 20 students of the arts faculty would continue till authorities consider their decision. "We heard what the V-C said but there was no assurance from his side. We want the admission tests back," she claimed.

It may be mentioned that the teachers of all the six departments English, Comparative Literature, Bengali, History, International Relations and Philosophy in which admission tests were earlier scheduled to be held announced that they will not take part in the admission process. The university after the EC meeting had announced scrapping of admission tests and announced that admissions will be on the basis of marks secured in Higher Secondary or equivalent examinations.

It may be mentioned that on July 4 , an hour after the decision to scrap entrance tests was announced, the students gheraoed the VC and other members of the executive council in protest. The gherao, which lasted for 30 hours, was followed by Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) cease work, class boycott and indefinite fast by humanities students.