Resignations continue in Visva-Bharati amid students’ protests

More faculty members quit; students demand reopening of hostels and holding of online exams

Visva-Bharati University continues to be on the boil as more faculty members resigned from their positions amidst the continuing standoff between authorities and students over the holding of examinations without the reopening of hostels.

Students are demanding the reopening of hostels and holding of online exams, saying they cannot appear for exams in person unless hostels are reopened first. They have boycotted the offline exams that were to begin on March 11 and are continuing their protests.

On Wednesday, the Principals of two departments — Mukteswar Nath Tiwari of Bhasa Bhavana and Swapan Kumar Ghosh of Sangit Bhavana — quit the university’s Executive Council. Once their decision became public, the university itself removed them as Principals of their respective departments (and thus automatically from the Executive Council), and the order removing them from their posts was signed — to the surprise of many — by Registrar Ashish Agarwal, who himself resigned on Tuesday. It now appears that his resignation has not been accepted yet.

Also to quit on Wednesday was Atig Ghosh, the acting public relations officer (PRO) of the university. Under Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty, the university PRO is the only official authorised to speak to the media. Mr. Ghosh cited “compelling personal reasons” for his resignation.

And on Thursday, yet another Principal, Sandip Sarbadhikary of Vidya Bhavana, quit his post, which would mean his automatic removal from the Executive Council. The protesting students see these resignations in their favour.

“From the information we have got, the Registrar has left the campus and taken the train out of Santiniketan because his resignation was not accepted and he was being made to sign unpopular orders. We will continue with our protests until the hostels are reopened and exams are held online, instead of offline, for this year,” student leader Somnath Sow told  The Hindu on Thursday evening.

No university official was available to comment on the Registrar’s reported exit or on the other resignations.