Student’s death responsibility of entire varsity, shouldn’t happen again: New interim JU V-C

After taking charge on Sunday, Sau, who teaches in the Mathematics Department, described the student’s death as “very unfortunate and heartrending”, and said: “The responsibility (for the death of the student) is of the entire university and not of any one person… We will have to ensure that such things do not happen again. For that, whatever steps are required will be taken.”

Stating that “proper security arrangements have to be made to ensure a healthy atmosphere is maintained in the university,” the interim V-C said: “Security has to be improved but that is a subject for further analysis. If needed, we will take help of security experts.”

“Steps have been taken on earlier occasions over allegations of ragging within the parameters of rules and guidelines,” he added.

On the demand for the installation of CCTV cameras on campus, Sau said: “We will have to see whether CCTVs or any other technology like RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) will be effective or that human surveillance would be more useful based on assessment of security threats.”

Last week, the Jadavpur University authorities made identity cards mandatory for visitors to enter the campus at night and announced to install CCTVs at strategic points on the campus, including at the gates.

Sau’s appointment as interim V-C was made by Governor CV Ananda Bose, the chancellor of the state university, on Saturday night.

The tenure of the varsity’s last full-time vice-chancellor Suranjan Das, who served for nine years, had ended on May 31. Following this, Governor Bose appointed Amitabha Datta, the pro-vice-chancellor of the university, as the interim vice-chancellor for three months. However, on August 4, Dutta resigned as interim V-C after being asked by the Governor.

Since then, the university did not have a functioning vice-chancellor.

JU Registrar Snehamanju Basu, who held a meeting with Sau, said that the issue of a full-time vice-chancellor has to be resolved.

“There were some issues in the university that could not be addressed in the absence of a full-time vice-chancellor. At the same time, the interim vice-chancellor does not have the power to take any financial and legal decisions. That’s why, the university could not take important decisions. This (full-time vice-chancellor) issue has to be resolved. Now, we have got another interim vice-chancellor. It is our duty to cooperate with him to overcome this difficult time.”

Meanwhile, the university’s Dean of Science Subenoy Chakraborty resigned from his post, soon after Sau took charge as the new interim vice-chancellor. Chakraborty sent his resignation letter to pro-vice-chancellor Amitava Dutta. Although he cited personal reasons for his decision, sources said he was not happy with Sau’s appointment.

Professor Chakraborty was not available for comments.

When asked about Chakraborty’s resignation, JU Registrar Basu said, “He has to send his resignation to the vice-chancellor and not to the registrar. Therefore, I cannot comment on this.”