The state government on Sunday transferred convicted Maoist leader Arnab Dam to Burdwan Correctional Home from the Hooghly jail, a day before his counselling and admission as a PhD scholar in history to Burdwan University.

Despite Dam, who was known as Comrade Bikram aka Surya, ranking top in the interview among approximately 220 candidates earlier this month, the varsity postponed the counselling and admission process, asking whether the jailed Maoist leader would be able to attend the mandatory six-month coursework physically.

The varsity sent a letter to the Hooghly correctional home authorities seeking clarification on his PhD pursuit.

“The hurdles to his (Dam’s) PhD are over as we clarified to the Burdwan University authorities that we don’t have any problem allowing him to attend coursework physically. That is why we transferred him to Burdwan jail,” said state correctional home minister Akhil Giri.

“It will be easier for us to provide protection and security to Arnab Dam to attend classes from Burdwan Correctional Home, instead of Hooghly,” he added.

Amid speculation that the varsity has second thoughts about allowing Dam to pursue his higher studies, the Maoist leader went on a symbolic two-day-long hunger strike inside the Hooghly jail.

Dam was sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this year after he was found guilty in an attack on the Silda Indian security forces camp in 2010.

On Saturday evening, the varsity authorities announced that the counselling of the history department, which was postponed to July 9, would be held on Monday.

A source said the announcement was made after Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh spoke to Burdwan University vice-chancellor Goutam Chandra about the issue.

“The varsity will not have any problem as the correctional home authorities cleared their stand. Now, the admission of Dam as a PhD scholar is just a step away,” a senior professor at Burdwan University said.