‘Jadavpur University Admin Gone To Rocks’: Urgent Plea Before Calcutta High Court In Light Of Student’s Death Due To Ragging

On Wednesday, Senior Advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay mentioned a PIL before the Calcutta High Court regarding recent events which have unfolded in Jadavpur University, culminating in the death of a first-year BA student due to alleged ragging.

“I am not on the murder/suicide of the student, but the entire JU administration has gone to the rocks…there is no CCTV anywhere. Earlier it was installed, it has been broken, and all outsiders are staying there. Ex-students who passed out 8-10 years ago are staying in the hostel. There is no administration, everything is in dark, one after another students are subjected to ragging, and it has gone to a horrible place,” the Senior counsel told a division-bench of CJ TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.

Further points were made regarding the standing of Jadavpur University among other worldwide universities and how the present dispensation led by the Chancellor, the Governor of West Bengal was unable to look after the students due to administrative inefficiency. Bandppadhyay continued:

“There are other allegations also. JU is one of the best universities in the world, but the administration has led to drugs, no one can enter, illegal things are happening, outsiders are coming at night. This matter needs a holistic approach from your lordship.”

On Monday, another matter was mentioned before the High Court in light of the same set of circumstances, for implementation of the RK Raghavan Committee report on ragging. It was contended by Bandopadhyay that his plea had a wider ambit than the earlier one. He said:

“The Chancellor is not here to just appoint ad-hoc VC. How can the chancellor sit tight over the rights of the students and not take care of them after appointing VC…what’s happening? Earlier matters were moved in 2015, no one is allowed to enter…this Court passed orders [for state representatives] to enter, but we cannot till we have been called [by the University]. It has to be brought in a correct place. That’s my request to your lordships. Anti-ragging law is settled, kindly take care of the other parts.”

Upon hearing the contentions raised, the Bench directed for notices to be served upon the University and posted the matter for tentative hearing on Monday, 21^st August upon completion of service.