The Union education ministry on Saturday rushed a three-member team to strife-hit Tezpur University to find a way out of the protest that has crippled the central university since November 27.
Led by higher education secretary Vineet Joshi, the team was greeted by a large gathering of students, teachers and non-teaching staff at the campus gate in a show of solidarity for the ongoing agitation seeking the removal of vice-chancellor (VC) Shambhu Nath Singh, who has not been seen on campus since September 22.
The visit came a day after senior-most professor Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya, citing provisions of the Tezpur University Act, 1993, suo motu assumed charge as acting vice-chancellor to “bring normalcy” to the campus and restart stalled end-term examinations from December 8. The university has been under a complete shutdown since November 27, with all academic and administrative work suspended and exams from December 3 cancelled.
The crisis escalated on Thursday when Singh convened an online board of management (BoM) meeting from Delhi and the BoM reportedly decided to appoint Mass communication professor Joya Chakraborty as pro vice-chancellor. Chakraborty declined the post, and the Tezpur University United Forum (TUUF) — which is spearheading the agitation — and sections of faculty immediately rejected the BoM meeting as “illegal” and “procedurally flawed”.
On Thursday night, the university community decided to invoke the act. Bhattacharyya, a professor of computer science and engineering, wrote to the Union education ministry and informed it that, in the absence of a pro VC and given the “long absence” of the incumbent, the senior-most professor was empowered to discharge the vice-chancellor’s duties.
He cited a recent reply in the Lok Sabha by Union minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar, who had clarified that if the office of the VC fell vacant and no pro-VC was available, the senior-most professor would perform the VC’s duties until a new appointment or the return of the incumbent.
On Saturday, the ministry team held a nearly four-hour meeting with representatives of students, teachers and staff. The protesters blocked the main gate of the university after no concrete steps were announced during the meeting. According to sources, the ministry team remained inside the campus at the time of filing this report. A protester said the team had assured a visitorial inquiry and tried to impress upon accepting the decision of the “legitimate” BOM meeting. The outcome was not officially disclosed till late evening.
Additional inputs from PTI
