Kolkata: Students affiliated with the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) staged a protest at Rabindra Bharati University’s (RBU) Jorasanko campus on Monday, demanding the removal of officiating vice-chancellor (V-C) Shubhra Kamal Mukherjee. They alleged that the V-C had been making decisions arbitrarily, affecting the university’s reputation and academic environment.
The agitation began in the morning, with students blocking the entrance, reportedly preventing the V-C from entering. Following the protest, Mukherjee and interim Registrar Ashis Samanta left the campus premises. The students demanded their immediate removal and the appointment of a full-term V-C and registrar.
RBU has been facing administrative challenges for over a year. In 2023, Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the Chancellor of the university, appointed Mukherjee, former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, as the interim V-C. The registrar is also serving on a temporary basis. Students claim these appointments were made without proper consultation, leading to inefficiency in administration.
A TMCP student leader said the interim V-C had been calling executive council meetings despite objections from the state Higher Education department. “He does not have the authority to do this. Our protest is against his arbitrary actions,” the student said.