Jadavpur University: Governor addresses violence at meeting with vice-chancellors

Kolkata: Governor CV Anand Bose, who also serves as the Chancellor of all state-aided universities in West Bengal, chaired a meeting with vice-chancellors (V-C) on Friday to address concerns arising from the ongoing situation at Jadavpur University (JU). Bhaskar Gupta, the officiating Vice-Chancellor of JU, participated online but reportedly left the meeting early due to health issues.

During the meeting, the Chancellor stressed the pivotal role of the V-Cs in maintaining peace on campus, stating that incidents of violence and unrest, such as those witnessed at JU, are unacceptable. The discussions focused on both immediate and long-term measures to ensure campus safety. The meeting also highlighted the need to foster better relationships between universities and their local communities.

A statement issued by Raj Bhavan through its X profile confirmed that the meeting covered several strategies to address the challenges faced by universities. These included activating monitoring cells, counselling cells, and disciplinary committees, as well as encouraging closer engagement between V-Cs and students.

Security measures were also a key point of discussion, with a focus on implementing modern surveillance systems and enhancing campus infrastructure, such as CCTV cameras. The importance of anti-drug campaigns was also highlighted.

Immediate actions recommended included the establishment of crisis management cells, improving campus security, and conducting regular security drills and awareness programmes. Long-term strategies involved fostering an inclusive campus culture, strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms, and enhancing mental health support services for students. Additionally, the use of advanced digital surveillance and AI-powered threat detection tools was proposed to improve security. The development of mobile Apps for emergency reporting was also discussed.

Meanwhile, protests by students at JU continue with no resolution in sight. Bhaskar Gupta, who was admitted to hospital due to fluctuating blood pressure, is reported to be in stable condition.

On Friday, Amit Roy, father of injured student Indranuj Roy, visited Gupta in hospital to offer his well wishes. Amit Roy stated, “The Vice-Chancellor’s health is quite poor, and his blood pressure is fluctuating. We wished him a speedy recovery and also extended our birthday wishes, as today is his birthday.” He added that Gupta had assured him that the university would bear the treatment costs for students injured on campus, including for his son, Indranuj. He also shared that his son’s condition is improving and he is expected to be discharged from hospital by Saturday.