Two back-to-back resignations of senior officers have dealt a blow to Patna University before the Part III Honours examinations, slated from Tuesday.

First, Patna Science College principal Kashinath filed his resignation on March 4. Then, P.K. Poddar, the dean of students’ welfare, resigned last week.

Sources said Poddar resigned after he was made a syndicate member and Patna University Teachers’ Association president.

Kashinath resigned with the plea of being shifted to the postgraduate department of the university.

The university administration is yet to accept the resignations, but the vice-chancellor told The Telegraph that he had made up his mind to find replacements.

“The resignations of the dean of students’ welfare and the Patna Science College principal have not been officially accepted, but we are planning to find replacements,” Patna University vice-chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh said.

The university sources said the “untimely” resignation of the two key officials assumes importance as the final-year examinations were on and the honours examinations were set to commence from Tuesday. The postgraduate examinations — MA, MSc and MCom Part II, vocational courses and LLM Part II examinations — are scheduled to begin on March 26.

Sources added that the dean of students’ welfare plays an important role during the examinations. Also, the absence of a principal during examinations might lead to law and order problems.

Students expressed their worry over the developments in the university.

Ankit Mishra, a Patna Science College student, told The Telegraph: “If any incident of group clash or eve-teasing occurs on the college premises, there would be no one with whom we can take up the issue(s) because of the resignation of the principal. Now, there might be delayed or no action. The roles of a college principal and the dean of students’ welfare are crucial during the examinations because they try and keep a check on unfair means.”

This year, there are four centres for LLB Part III examination — Patna College, Patna Science College, BN College and Magadh Mahila College. The male LLB students had protested on March 14 against the decentralisation of the examination centres. The agitating students had threatened to boycott the test. The female LLB students took the test without any protest, though.

The matter was resolved following the interference of Patna University administration.

Ankit added: “If the law students’ protest continued to this day, there would have been a real crisis in the absence of an administra- tive head.”