Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Visva-Bharati to pay a varsity professor her pending salary, which authorities stopped since June on the plea of excess payment made to her from the time of her joining in 2014, by the end of 2020.

Sources said the varsity administration had in June this year told Shruti Bandopadhyay, a professor of Manipuri dance at Sangit Bhavana, that she had been paid an excess in increment since she joined Visva-Bharati in April 2014 and the extra amount paid over six years would be deducted in instalments starting with her June salary.

Varsity sources claimed that Bandopadhyay had been paid an excess of Rs 21,060 every month since 2014 and she was told that the extra amount would be deducted in tranches from her monthly salary. The professor objected to the deduction and moved high court against the decision. The varsity instead of deducting the excess amount stopped giving her salary.

Hearing Bandopadhyay’s plea, a single judge bench of the high court in August restrained the varsity from deducting any amount from the teacher’s salary till the disposal of the case.

The varsity in December moved the high court division bench to challenge the single bench’s order and the matter was heard by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya and Justice Soumen Sen.

Bandopadhyay’s counsel Puspal Chakraborty said the division bench on December 24 ordered the varsity to disburse the salary of the professor pending since June by December 31.

“The honourable division bench directed the varsity to pay Rs 2,30,258 as salary without prejudice to the petitioner. It has also directed the varsity authorities to open a bank account and deposit the excess amount worth Rs 21,060 in it every month till the disposal of the writ petition in accordance with law,” Chakraborty said.

In the order, the division bench observed that they hoped and trusted that the Visva-Bharati vice-chancellor would look into the matter and resolve the issue keeping in mind the academic excellence that Tagore aspired to.

“There cannot be any denial of fact that Manipuri dance is the integral part of the dance drama conceived by Tagore and it is in the interest of the university that a Professor of Manipuri Dance is not shabbily treated,” the order reads.

“It would not be in the best interest of the university, we hope and trust that the vice-chancellor of the university shall look into the matter and resolve the issue… we expect that this institution ensures preservation of the “Philosophy of Tagore” in all fields and excel in all directions. It is a pride not only of West Bengal but India,” the order added.