Gauhati University students demonstrate on the campus on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Feb. 6: Gauhati University’s decision to postpone all scheduled examinations has created a furore among the students and parents, who staged a protest on the campus today.

This is the first time in the past 50 years when Gauhati University has taken a decision to postpone a scheduled examination. MA, MSc, MCom, semester and all other examinations, including law examination scheduled to be held on February 6, 7 and 8, have been postponed.

The Post-graduate Students Union (PGSU) and parents of examinees gheraoed vice-chancellor G.N. Talukdar today and demanded an explanation as to why the examinations were postponed.

PGSU general secretary Pranjal Pratim Bora said the decision had cast a negative impact on the students who were preparing for the examinations.

Though Bora refused to say much, many students alleged that internal administrative problems had forced the authorities to postpone the examinations.

Sources said controller of examinations Prafulla Kumar Deka, who was put under suspension in December last year for his alleged involvement in the scam relating to evaluation of answerscripts of degree examinations, resumed his duty on February 2 following a Gauhati High Court order. The high court has rejected the suspension order of Deka issued by the registrar of GU and asked the university authorities to allow Deka to join immediately.

“But despite the high court order, it has been alleged that Deka has not been given the charge and he has not been able to perform his duty,” a source said.

Deka said the vice-chancellor has not yet given him the go ahead to resume his duty.

“I have not even got the key to open the examination control room. So I do not know whether question papers for the next examinations are ready or not. Before my suspension order on December 12 last year, I prepared the question papers for all examinations scheduled to be held till January 19. I am totally in the dark whether question papers were set for the examinations scheduled to be held after January 19,” he said.

Nilmoni Bora, secretary of the University Classes, was entrusted the additional responsibility of the controller of examinations soon after Deka’s suspension. Sources said when Bora expressed his desire to quit his additional responsibility, Jitram Dutta was given the charge of controller of examinations.

Vice-chancellor Talukdar said the university would soon reschedule the examinations, which have been postponed. He refused to comment on the allegations of administrative problems and Deka not being given the charge of controller of examinations yet. “I will speak tomorrow” was all that he said.