Summary
Students said they were facing difficulties because libraries did not have adequate books and laboratories did not have enough equipment. They have been agitating over the past 63 days.
Students of Aliah University on Tuesday shut the main gate of the Park Circus campus to protest the lack of a vice-chancellor, which they alleged had stalled academic activities.
The university has not had a VC since mid-March.
Students said they were facing difficulties because libraries did not have adequate books and laboratories did not have enough equipment. They have been agitating over the past 63 days.
Students said they didn’t know who to raise their demands with. Left with no option, they were forced to shut the main gate, they said.
Salman Khan, a protester, said: “University officials told us issues like inadequate library and lab infrastructure cannot be addressed in the absence of a VC. Funds cannot be approved without a VC, they said. So, we shut the gate demanding the appointment of a VC.”
None of the 31 state-aided universities in Bengal have full-term VCs. Some are being helmed by officiating VCs but Aliah does not have that either.
Abu Taher Kamruddin, president of the West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education, had been appointed interim VC of Aliah in April 2022.
He quit after Calcutta High Court on March 14, 2023 set aside the state education department’s decision to appoint 24 state-aided university VCs because the orders did not have the approval of Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was then governor and ex-officio chancellor.
Aliah registrar Syed Nurus Salam said: “Students shut the main gate over various demands. We are holding discussions with them.”
Last updated on 05 Jul 2023
