KOLKATA: Unhappy with the Jadavpur University’s report on the alleged ragging that led to first-year student Swapnodeep Kundu’s death and action taken on the issue, the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday wrote to the institution asking to submit the compliances to its 12 queries.
The UGC found the University’s report “very generic” in nature which mentioned “reactive approaches” adopted in the matter rather than “proactive measures” taken to curb the menace. The statutory body of the central government for higher education asked the university authorities to submit compliance on 12 queries for the current year within 24 hours and for the last five years within 10 days.
The UGC’s anti-ragging cell on Monday, following the tragedy on August 10 at the hostel of the institution, sought a report from the university authorities on its finding on Swapnodeep’s death for which nine persons, including four students and five former students of the institution, have already been arrested.
Expressing its sheer unhappiness with the university’s reply, the UGC wrote back to Kolkata one of the premier institutions saying, “The report submitted to UGC was examined and it was found to be very generic in nature basically mentioning therein mostly the reactive approaches adopted in the matter rather than proactive measures taken to curb the menace of ragging and therefore, the Commission is not satisfied with the report submitted by you.”
Reminding the commission’s regulations on curbing ragging, the letter undersigned by Manish Joshi, secretary of the UGC, asked the university authorities to submit the compliances specific to its queries with concrete documentary evidence.
The UGC asked the university to submit the brochure of admission where the telephone numbers of the anti-ragging helpline and important functionaries of the institute are printed and a copy of the leaflet given to the students mentioning detail and telephone number of the anti-ragging helpline, head of institution, anti-ragging committee and police officials.
The statutory body also asked the institution in south Kolkata whether the head of the university convened a meeting of the faculty members, warden, and students’ representative(s) to discuss measures to be taken to prevent ragging and steps to be taken to identify the guilty and punish them before the commencement of the academic session. The UGC also sought minutes of the meeting.
The UGC also wanted to know whether the university initiated steps to conduct a joint counseling of freshers and seniors within the first two-week of the beginning of the session.
Swinging into action to prevent outsiders’ entry to the university campus, the authorities of the institution on Thursday announced restrictions. “Between 8 pm and 7 am, those entering the university campus will have to carry the identity cards issued by the authorities. Vehicles with stickers issued by the university authorities will only be allowed the enter the campus,” said registrar of the university Snehamanju Basu.
Asked whether the institution authorities will install CCTVs inside the campus, she said the decision would be taken by the executive council.
Swapnodeep, who took admission at the university on August 3, was found lying naked on the ground in front of the building that houses his hostel-room on the second-floor last week.