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UGC pulls up Jadavpur university over report into first-year student’s death
The death of the 18-year-old student has sparked allegations that he was brutally ragged by seniors in the university hostel
The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday pulled up Jadavpur University (JU) for submitting a “generic” report on the death of a first-year student last week, saying the report lacked “specific details” on the steps taken by the varsity to curb cases of harassment and ragging, said a senior official of the body, requesting anonymity.
Read here: JU student’s death: University to strengthen campus security, install CCTVs
UGC’s remarks came even as the West Bengal government formed a four-member committee and sought a report, in two weeks, into the alleged administrative lapses connected with the incident. The death of the 18-year-old student has sparked allegations that he was brutally ragged by seniors in the university hostel.
“UGC has written a second letter to JU since the first response was generic and did not carry any specific details on the preventive measures taken to eliminate incidents of ragging,” a senior UGC official said on the condition of anonymity. HT has not seen the letter.
“We have asked JU to inform us if UGC rules on curbing the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions are implemented in the university. We will wait for their response,” the official added.
The official quoted above said that the letter to JU is also meant to send a message to other colleges to “prioritise the eradication of ragging” from their premises.
“UGC’s follow-up with JU is also to send a strong message that institutions are accountable for their anti-ragging efforts and need to uphold students’ welfare and well-being. UGC is clear that universities and colleges across the nation must prioritise the eradication of ragging and take concrete actions towards achieving this goal,” the official said. Nine people – former and current students – have been arrested in connection with the death of the student from Nadia district, who was found lying naked in a pool of blood in front of the main hostel building outside the university campus by students at around 11.45pm on August 9.
Police said the teen allegedly fell from the second-floor balcony of his hostel where he was staying since August 6, after enrolling for the Bengali Honours undergraduate course at the university. His body bore several injury marks and he was rushed to a private hospital where he died at around 4.30am on the following day.
The deceased’s family alleged that he was ragged by his seniors. “My son was very afraid and was under tremendous pressure. He begged me and his mother to come. It was clear that he was being tortured,” his father told reporters earlier.
Police have filed a murder complaint and an investigation is underway. A section of students and teachers also alleged that former students frequently visited and stayed in the main hostel and sometimes, harassed new undergraduate students, prompting authorities to temporarily shift all first-year male boarders to a new facility.
Last week, UGC’s anti-ragging cell sought a report from JU authorities on the student’s death. A UGC delegation was scheduled to visit the varsity on Wednesday but it was called off.“The commission held off the visit because the first letter lacked details,” a second senior UGC official said.
The report by the JU’s anti-ragging committee was submitted on Monday (14 August).
The university has set up an internal committee to probe the student’s death.
On Tuesday, JU registrar Snehamanju Basu said the varsity responded to a couple of queries from UGC and that a final report was yet to be submitted.
Read here: JU’s anti-ragging committee report ‘generic’, lacks details: UGC
On Thursday, Basu, while responding to the UGC’s latest remarks, however, called it a “miscommunication”. “It must have been a miscommunication. There is no way for me to know whether they (UGC) were satisfied or not. The commission’s concerned officer had acknowledged our response to their initial queries and had decided to keep their visit on hold.”
Meanwhile, the state government formed a four-member panel to investigate any lapses by the administration in the case. The committee has been asked to submit its report in two weeks, officials said.
