The North Bengal University Alumni Association(NBUAA) sent a letter to state education minister Bratya Basu on Wednesday and requested him to depute a new vice-chancellor or at least an officiating VC to the varsity.

The move follows the recent arrest of Subires Bhattacharyya, the sitting VC, by the CBI. On September 19, the central investigating agency has taken him into custody for his alleged involvement in illegal recruitments made through the school service commission.

Before assuming the post of the VC at NBU — the oldest university of north Bengal – Bhattacharyya had served as the chairman of the SSC.“As the incumbent VC has been arrested, it is necessary to appoint a competent person either as the VC or as the officiating VC at the varsity at the earliest to save the institution from drigint into complete chaos,” said Tapas Kumar Chatterjee, the secretary of NBUAA. Chatterjee, who has also served as the registrar of NBU, said the VC’s arrest has led to an administrative deadlock at NBU.

“On August 29, we had sent another letter to the state education minister but so far, no tangible action has been taken by the higher education department. It is imperative that the department acts and takes all such necessary steps for restoration of normality in this 60-year-old institution,” he added.