The vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Pandit Phalende, faced an embarrassing situation on Wednesday when students stormed the senate hall, accusing him and other university authorities of turning a blind eye to their endless problems.
Students of various organisations raised slogans against the alleged highhandedness and carelessness of the VC when he tried to meet the rampaging students who were protesting outside the senate hall.
The general secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Kesri Nandan, said: "We have been crying hoarse for the past five years to hold elections. We have decided to launch a protest against the university officials, including the VC, if the election is not held in a month."
The senate's functioning remained disrupted for one-and-a-half hours because of the commotion. Some of the senate members such as Arun Kumar Singh, Harendra Kumar and Mukul Sharma were against inviting the media for the coverage because according to them that would bring into open the "misdeeds of university officials" before the Governor. Taking strong exception to it, the VC expressed displeasure on the part of junior officers for not inviting the media. The VC, however, regretted it later.
Superintendent of police (city) Rajindra Singh Bhil on getting information of unrest during the senate meeting rushed with reinforcement to control the mob.
Police officers, too, struggled to cool down the tempers of the students belonging to Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parshad, All India Students' Democratic Organisation, Chatra-RJD and others.
Senate member Mukul Sharma also squatted on the floor of the hall during the business hour demanding immediate announcement of election of students' union.
Sharma added that he had raised the issue of students' election vociferously, which was supported by other members of the senate.
The VC formed a committee of MLAs and MLCs, who happen to be members of the senate to explore the possibility of election. The committee would submit its report to the VC in a month.
The VC had to face the unruly situation when senate members Arun Kumar Singh, Harendra Kumar, Mukul Sharma and others raised the issue of leak of question paper of the three-year degree course of commerce and complete failure of the examination department to announce results on time.
Harendra questioned the integrity of the VC for maintaining silence, not initiating action against the officials involved in the purchase of copy, answersheets, tabulation registers, generator sets.
Then Governor D.Y. Patil had entrusted B. Lal, a retired IAS officer, to investigate the issue following vigilance order in the large-scale omission and commission into the purchase of copy and stationeries. "The VC is sitting over the recommendation of B. Lal. This smacks of his (the VC's) ulterior intentions," alleged Harendra.
"Several senators questioned the functioning of the university and urged the VC to put a check on the alleged malaise prevailing in the development and examination departments," said Mukul Sharma.
The leak of question paper of the three-year degree course reported from Ram Briksha Benipuri Mahila College, Muzaffarpur, also highlighted the "malaise".
Senator Harendra demanded action against those involved in the leak.
The VC said: "I have taken notice of the annoyance among students. We would soon take up the matter to hold election. A committee of MLAs and MLCs, who are also members of the senate, would suggest the modalities in this connection. All complaints of students and senators would be heard."
At the end, the university presented an annual budget of Rs 859 crore for 2015-2016 amid pandemonium created by the members of the senate. "The senate later passed it," said proctor-cum-spokesperson Ajay Kumar Srivastava.
