Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Thursday questioned Presidency University vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia about the delay in the Eden Hindu Hostel repairs at a meeting of seven university heads, officials who were at the meeting said.
Tripathi wanted to know from Lohia the current status of the repair, the reasons behind the delay, how long students will suffer, why the university couldn’t specify when the repairs would be over and what steps it had taken to hasten work, the officials said.
Education minister Partha Chatterjee, who was present at the meeting in Raj Bhavan, questioned Lohia about the delay, they said.
At one point, Lohia apparently said “then let me resign”.
This paper tried to contact Lohia but neither did she take calls, nor did she respond to text messages sent to her phone, asking if she had offered to resign.
The governor then tried to pacify her, more than one person among those present at the meeting said.
Both Tripathi and Chatterjee urged Lohia to take immediate steps to complete the repairs.
Lohia apparently quoted a PWD report as saying it would take another four to five months to make the hostel ready for use.
Chatterjee, the officials said, pointed out a report with the government did not support Lohia’s claim.
Education minister Partha Chatterjee urged Lohia to take immediate steps to complete the hostel. File picture
There was an apparent exchange of words between the two and Lohia said the university was not responsible for the delay and had to depend on the PWD.
When Chatterjee refused to accept it, Lohia threatened to resign, an official said.
Tripathi then intervened and changed the topic.
Lohia left immediately after the meeting, skipping the lunch Raj Bhavan had hosted for the vice-chancellors.
The chancellor is said to have expressed his displeasure at the way Presidency changed the venue of its 2018 convocation from the campus to an auditorium in Nandan because of students’ protests over the hostel repairs.
The convocation was held with a curtailed guest list in the absence of the chancellor and 700-odd degree holders.
The hostel adjoining the College Street institution was shut for repairs on July 29, 2015, and 150 boarders were provided accommodation in New Town.
Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Suranjan Das, too, wasn’t spared.
Tripathi asked him why the university couldn’t come up with a clear admission policy and stick to it, an official who was at the meeting said.
He advised Das not to be “indecisive” in important matters like student admissions, the official said.
Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had convened the meeting with seven VCs at Raj Bhavan on Thursday to discuss campus problems Telegraph picture
Jadavpur University had been a seat of unrest from June to August because of students’ protests over the authorities’ decision to scrap entrance tests in six arts subjects.
Tripathi told Das there shouldn’t be a recurrence of such indecision and that the university should have a proper admission process from next year.
Das told him he would retire in June and that some senior academic should be given the responsibility of doing the job, the official said.
The governor met the VCs for the first time in many years to discuss campus problems. But the focus was on Presidency and Jadavpur. More than an hour was spent discussing the two universities.
Student union polls
Tripathi urged the VCs to be vigilant on the activities of student unions to prevent campus unrest.
He said union rivalry was at the root of most troubles. He asked Chatterjee to implement the government’s plan of making the student unions apolitical.
Convocation
The governor urged the state to consider whether university convocations could be held on their foundation day.
At present Jadavpur University and Rabindra Bharati University hold their convocations on their foundation day.
Suranjan Das said some senior academic should be given the responsibility of fixing the Jadavpur University admission process when the chancellor told him to have a proper admission process from next year. Telegraph picture
