A committee set up by the state higher education department to identify administrative lapses and infrastructure gaps at Jadavpur University following the death of the first-year student has given the university seven days to submit a report on its anti-ragging measures.
The committee members visited the university and the main hostel, where the first-year student stayed, on Tuesday afternoon.
The student was allegedly tortured in the hostel on August 9 and he died the next day.
The team met registrar Snehamanju Basu.
The state’s director of public instruction, Jayasri Ray Chaudhuri, a member of the committee, said: “We have given a format to the university for sharing data. We have sought to know from the university how far they are aware of the mechanisms like anti-ragging squad and anti-ragging committee, which officers were in charge of these bodies and how situations are handled here.”
JU also has to inform the committee where CCTV cameras will be installed and how many guards it has employed. “We have come to check administrative and infrastructure lapses. Once we get the details in seven days, we will be able to draw conclusions,” said Ray Chaudhuri.
JU had on Friday issued a work order for the installation of CCTV cameras at the gates of the main hostel, girls’ hostel and the campuses in Jadavpur and Salt Lake.
On the same day the registrar had written to the government saying the company that would install the cameras had asked for Rs 37.05 lakh. The registrar appealed to the government for funds for the installation of the cameras.
The university will need around Rs 1.8 crore annually to hire 30 ex-servicemen as security personnel.
The engineering and technology faculty students’ union said on Monday they were opposed to “splurging of money” in the name of installation of cameras and hiring of security personnel at a time when “the university is reeling under funds crunch”.
On Tuesday, a senior JU official said: “Stumbling blocks are being created to the introduction of security measures. The students demanded a meeting with all stakeholders to decide on effective anti-ragging measures and officiating VC Buddhadeb Sau consented to it after being gheraoed for three hours on Monday evening.”
The registrar told The Telegraph: “I have informed the members of the team about the need for funds, which are a must for facilities like CCTV and hiring of ex-servicemen. They have promised help.”