68th annual convocation: SFI protests ICC elections’ delay, infrastructure issues at JU Convocation; Governor assures action
Delivering the keynote address at the university's 68th annual convocation, Bose, who is also the chancellor of JU, said the institute has been known for the excellence of its students and faculty.
3 min readKolkataUpdated: Dec 24, 2025 10:41 PM IST
Delivering the keynote address at the university's 68th annual convocation, Governor CV Ananda Bose who is also the chancellor of JU, said the institute has been known for the excellence of its students and faculty. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
Describing JU as the “best university of West Bengal,” Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday said Jadavpur University (JU) will become the best in the country in the near future.
Delivering the keynote address at the university’s 68th annual convocation, Bose, who is also the chancellor of JU, said the institute has been known for the excellence of its students and faculty.
“JU is the best university of West Bengal, and the way its students, scholars and faculty are pursuing research and academic activities, it will become the best in the country,” Bose said.
However, Governor Bose faced protests by the members Students’ Federation of India (SFI), who gathered outside the venue, raising slogans and pressing a series of demands.
SFI leader Sangita Kundu said that students were protesting against the prolonged delay in the election of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
“As the Governor is the Chancellor of our university, we placed our demands directly before him knowing that he was coming to attend the convocation,” she said.
Apart from ICC elections, students flagged infrastructure-related issues on campus. Kundu alleged that despite Jadavpur University being considered a “five-star university”, the condition of classrooms and laboratories was poor.
She alleged that regular classes are not being held in several departments and laboratories lack adequate equipment, affecting academic work.
Story continues below this ad
The students also raised concerns over campus security, alleging that there are insufficient security guards in several areas of the university, leaving students feeling unsafe.
In their deputation, the SFI also opposed what they termed as Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshak, referring to the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill.
“We vehemently oppose the Union Cabinet’s approval of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill, introduced earlier in 2018 and disguised as Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshak. The adoption of this Bill will greatly affect the funding and functioning of higher educational institutions in India, directly impacting common students,” the deputation stated.
Addressing the protests by SFI members, Governor Bose said that the students have the right to raise their demands. “Students have every right to speak out about their demands. These are issues to be considered by the government,” he said, adding that he would study the charter of demands submitted to him by the protesters.
Story continues below this ad
The governor later met the SFI delegation and assured them that he would look into the issues raised, adding that students were free to approach him anytime.
“We met the Governor and put forth our demands. There have been fund cuts, security is a big issue on campus, and we have also asked for student elections across the state. The Governor has assured us that he will look into the matter,” Russell Parvej of JU SFI said while speaking to The Indian Express.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including:
State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
