The Patna College of Arts and Crafts is on the boil again.

Reason: The return of its principal, Chandra Bhooshan Shriwastava, who had gone on leave because of student protests.

They had launched an agitation against him in May, for his alleged partisan role in an incident involving students and a contractor. The principal had allegedly taken the side of the businessman.

Students were also sore over the disciplinary action taken by the principal against some of them. A few even boycotted examinations and went on strike for more than two months.

The protest finally ended after the Patna University administration intervened and complaints of the students were looked into. Shriwastava, whose removal the students were demanding, proceeded on leave.

Based on a meeting attended by the university administration, officials from the district administration and students' representatives, the varsity had assured that Shriwastava will be removed depending on a probe committee report.

On Friday, when a few students were about to appear for their practical examinations, the presence of Shriwastava irked them.

Vishendar Narayan Singh, a seventh semester student, said: "On Friday, students from the second, fourth, sixth and seventh semesters were about to take the practical examinations. Those who were demanding Shriwastava's removal spotted him on the campus. We got to know that he has been made the principal again."?

Vishendar added that the students felt cheated by the university's decision. They boycotted the examination on Friday and Saturday.

The Art College Students' Federation (ACSF), the union constituted by the students of the college, had called a meeting on Monday to discuss the future strategy.

Chandan Kumar, another student of the college, said: "We can go on a strike or appear for the test wearing black badges protesting the re-appointment of Shriwastava as principal."

Patna University registrar Sanjay Kumar Sinha said Shriwastava had proceeded on leave because of the strike of the students.

"According to the university rules, Shriwastava was appointed for five years and he is yet to complete the tenure. The university will look into the issue so that an amicable solution could be reached at between the students and the college administration," added Sinha.

The students had called off the agitation on July 19 and had promised to cooperate with the college for the smooth functioning of the institution. The art cradle had witnessed turmoil for the past 80 days prior to July 19 because of the agitation.

The students, however, said the strike was called off because the university had assured them of heeding to some of their demands, which included the removal of Shriwastava, revocation of eight students who were suspended by the university for "anti-academic activities", withdrawal of "fake" cases lodged against students during the course of the agitation.

While the suspension was revoked and the cases were withdrawn, the university had kept the principal's issue vague at that time.