Jadavpur: The indefinite hunger strike by students of Jadavpur University over undergraduate entrance tests being scrapped entered the third day amid the announcement that teachers of two more departments - history and international relations- would stay out of the admission process.

Subhasis Biswas, the dean of arts and head of the department of history, is among those who advocate scrapping entrance tests.

Biswas had supported the proposal to have a marks-based admission system when it was discussed at the meeting of the university's executive council on July 4. His stand was at variance with his stated position on June 27.

At the previous meeting of the executive council, which is the highest decision-making body of the university, Biswas had said that six arts departments would conduct entrance tests.

The number of departments whose teachers have decided to boycott the admission process currently stands at five. The departments of English, comparative literature and Bengali had taken that decision before history and international relations.

The department of history was to restore the entrance test this year after a gap of three years.

The letter signed by 10 teachers of the department states: "We, the undersigned faculty members of the department, would like to express our deep anguish and outrage at the admission policy fiasco that is being enacted over the past few weeks. We believe that academic autonomy is the hallmark of any university, formally recognised for its 'potential for excellence'. Given that the departments have no autonomy to set their admission criteria, and the administration's complete lack of faith in our abilities, sincerity and integrity, we would like to inform you that we will not participate in the 2018 admission process in any capacity until the university clarifies in writing the legality of our participation in the same and states that the administration reposes faith in its academic community."

The department has a teaching strength of 14, including Biswas.

"I have received the letter from the 10 teachers. But I have to abide by the decision that the executive council took on admitting students only on the basis of marks," Biswas told Metro on Sunday night.

A professor in the department said the number of the teachers boycotting the admission process was likely to increase.

"The university administration has not clearly explained the role of the internal teachers in the admission process, leaving them effectively out of the admission procedure. Consequently, today the integrity of the teachers is under doubt without any evidence. This is painful and unacceptable to us. In view of the changed circumstances that breed mistrust and confusion, until and unless we receive a clear written communication from the university authority regarding the involvement of the faculty members in the admission process as legal, and not dependent on the whims of individuals, we shall desist from participating in the admission process," nine teachers of the department of international relations said in a signed letter to vice-chancellor Suranjan Das.

This department also has 14 teachers and is one of the six that were supposed to admit students by giving equal weightage to Class XII scores and performance in the entrance test.

Acting registrar Chiranjeeb Bhattacharya appealed to the students on indefinite hunger strike to call off their fast. "We are expected to reach a positive outcome very soon. I am urging you to withdraw the fast," he said.