UNIVERSITY WATCH: NBU bans SU help desk
Posted by barunroy on July 11, 2009
FROM THE STATESMAN
SILIGURI, 10 JULY: North Bengal University has banned the students’ organisation’s camp from helping students during the admission process at the university campus, in order to avoid untoward incidents untill the examinations are over. The university authorities have also asked the students’ union, controlled by the Student Federation of India, not to put up any help desks during the period.
The Chhatra Parishad, however, has denounced the move as undemocratic. “The university has taken the decision to give the SFI an advantage and we are not abiding the order. Today we put up help desks and we will continue to do so,” said a CP leader.
The SFI controlled students’ union of NBU accepted the request to maintain a peaceful environment during the examinations. “We will not put up any help desks, to avoid confrontations, and to assist the students during their examinations,” said the students’ union president, Mr Sanjay Biswas.
The university authorities took the decision on the evening of 9 July after tension erupted at the campus when the Chhatra Parishad put up help desks to assist the students seeking admission to the PG courses. The university authorities did not allow any organization except the students’ union to set up help desks. The Vice Chancellor of north Bengal university, Mr Arunava Basu Majumdar, however, on 10 July released an order banning banners, hoardings and slogans at the campus until the admissions process and the examinations are over. The authorities will also put up help desks with teachers and staff, said Mr Raghunath Bose, dean of arts, NBU.
When asked about the help desk put up by CP Mr Bose said that “we tried to maintain a peaceful environment during the examinations, and asked the students’ organisations to cooperate with us, but some of them did not. We did not want to go in for confrontation.”
