Siliguri, Dec. 30: The faculty council of North Bengal University today postponed the first semester post-graduate exam of the philosophy department as students had complained that they couldn’t concentrate on their studies following ragging at a boys’ hostel on the campus.

The varsity has also postponed the third semester PG philosophy exams. The first and third semester PG exams of other subjects will start on January 4.

“The VC, Arunabha Basumajumdar, has received complaints from several first semester philosophy students that they were feeling insecure at the hostel following the ragging. The students wrote that they were terrified to hear that the seniors accused of ragging juniors had been let off and had not been able to concentrate on their studies,” said a faculty council member.

The varsity’s anti-ragging committee had found 17 third semester students guilty of torturing 14 juniors and recommended the rustication of six seniors. However, the punishment could not be implemented as majority members at the NBU’s executive council had turned down the recommendations.

“The VC who is also the faculty council’s chairperson convened a meeting today to discuss the complaints and a resolution was adopted to postpone the exam,” said the faculty council member.

Sushanta Das, the varsity’s controller of examinations, said because of “operational difficulties”, PG third semester philosophy exams had also been put off. “Although the request came from the first semester students only, we have decided to postpone the exams of the third semester as well. There are some operational difficulties which made us take this decision. We will conduct a meeting with the faculties of the philosophy department and fix the new date,” he said.