Some teachers at Raiganj University have started conducting special classes for students in the evening hours to make up for classes not taken during working hours because of a movement by the varsity’s non-teaching staff.
For over a week now, the non-teaching staff at the institution have been demonstrating every day under the banner of Sara Bangla Trinamool Siksha Bandu Samiti.
“They are using loudhailers and shouting slogans. We can’t take classes as students can’t hear anything amid the sloganeering. Also, nobody is there to open the departments (in the absence of non-teaching staff),” said Debasis Biswas, the president of the teachers’ council of the varsity.
“In January, semester exams of undergraduate and postgraduate courses would be held. That is why, we have decided to conduct special classes for students in the evenings, that is, after the demonstration of the non-teaching staff is over for the day,” Biswas, who also heads the economics department, added.
He said that the evening classes started on Thursday and would continue till the protests ended.
Around four months back, Dipak Kumar Roy, vice-chancellor of the varsity, suspended a non-teaching staff member who is also a leader of the TMC-backed organisation, for alleged comments against the varsity, leading to protests. On December 3, non-teaching employees confined Roy to his chamber, demanding he withdraw the suspension order. Roy fell ill and was admitted to the Raiganj government hospital the next day. He has been on leave since then.
The non-teaching staff, however, have been continuing the protest.
In such a situation, the teachers are conducting special classes.
“We have exams ahead but these days we cannot attend classes in the morning hours because of the ongoing protests. We thank our teachers for arranging the special classes,” said Md Rezaul Hossain, a postgraduate student in history at the varsity.
VC Roy also appreciated the initiative. He has approached the governor, who is also the chancellor of the varsity, seeking permission to carry out his official work from his residence.
“I have mentioned in detail that the present situation at the varsity is not congenial for me. That is why I want to work from home. I appreciate the initiative of the teachers in the interest of the students,” he said.
Siksha Bandhu Samiti representatives accused teachers of exaggerating the situation.
“We won’t use loudhailers but our protests and sloganeering will go on till our demand (of withdrawal of the suspension order) is met. We are ready to cooperate so that classes are held. A section of teachers are unnecessarily exaggerating the situation to malign us,” said Bijoy Das, the observer of the Samiti’s varsity unit.