All not quiet at UBKV front

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 7: West Bengal University Officers' Association will observe a one-day symbolic strike on Monday at eighteen universities in this state in protest against the 'undemocratic' dismissal of the UBKV registrar. If necessary they will have to call an indefinite strike in the universities, executive member of WBUOA Mr Biman Sarkar said here today.

 

Normal functioning at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya (UBKV) was disrupted today too due to sit-in demonstrations organised by officers, a section of teachers and non-teaching staff and students.

 

Not attending his office at the university the vice-chancellor is performing his official works from his residence since Wednesday, UBKV sources said. A few classes and examinations were also held today.

 

On the otherhand, the dismissed registrar, Dr Parimal Chandra Sarkar is yet to handover his charge to anyone ignoring the discharge order issued on Tuesday by the vice-chancellor Prof Mrinal Kanti Majumder.

 

Dr Sarkar made it clear that he is not ready to leave UBKV before completion of the lien period of two years. He had joined UBKV in June this year on lien from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya.

 

In his order (No. VC/UBKV/1395) the VC had asked the registrar on Tuesday to "handover the charge of the office of the Registrar along with all official papers, files, documents as are lying with him to Prof Arun Kumar Saha, Head, department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry and Dean, faculty of Technology immediately".

 

In another order (No. VC/UBKV/1396) the VC said that "having noted the non-compliance on the part of Dr PC Sarkar to hand over the charge of the office of the registrar in terms the order no. VC/UBKV/1395, Prof Arun Kumar Saha is hereby instructed to assume the charge of the office of the registrar forthwith and discharge his duty as registrar (acting) till further order".

 

The matter of non-compliance of the previous order by Dr PC Sarkar will be dealt separately as per rules, the VC's second order says.

 

Following the second order Prof Arun Kumar Saha already joined in his new duty as the registrar (acting). "According to norms we should have to consider him as the registrar of this university", a teacher said.

 

Meanwhile, refuting the allegation that his qualification is not adequate for the post of registrar, Dr Sarkar said, "Before my joining here I had to face an interview board where four vice-chancellors were present. They raised no question over my one-year MSc degree from Dhaka University. With this degree I worked in several organisations including Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Indian Statistical Institute and Reserve Bank of India."  

 

"If the degree was considered valid during my thirty-one years of service-life why all on a sudden it became invalid", he questioned. Course and syllabus may change but a degree once awarded never is considered invalid, he argued. []

 

PHOTO : Sit-in demonstration in front of the administrative building of UBKV at Pundibari in Cooch Behar.