Kolkata: In the backdrop of the continuing deadlock on the EC meetings, the higher education department has requested Jadavpur University (JU) to submit detailed information regarding the Executive Council (EC) meetings that have been conducted in the last three years (2023 to 2026).This development comes amid JU vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee writing to higher education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay and Governor R N Ravi last week on the need to conduct an EC meeting to solve academic and administrative deadlocks. In the letter to the governor, the VC wrote that he received advice from higher edu dept officials not to convene an EC meeting now.The last EC meeting was held on April 4.According to the higher education dept’s directive, the university must provide a full account of EC meetings held in three years along with its agendas and minutes. The miscellaneous agenda tabled in each EC meeting beyond the itemised agenda and its minutes during the last three years should also be submitted. The higher education department’s letter is dated on Aug 5. “This directive is specific to JU,” a source said.Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) held a protest prompting the VC to call an EC meeting on Aug 6 to protect autonomy and smooth functioning of the institute but the meeting was deferred after the higher education department’s advice.On the other hand, RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikhik Sangha (ABRSM) had written to higher education minister and the VC alleging that the election conducted to elect teachers’ representatives to Court and EC was “illegal” hence, they are against conducting the EC with this composition.JUTA president Partha Pratim Ray said, “There are nominees from the higher education dept, higher education council and the finance dept in the EC. Since these nominees should already possess the agendas and meeting minutes, it is suspected that there might be a specific motive behind this request, especially if it is sought exclusively from JU.” Ray also noted, “The HC did not issue a stay on the election or any directive against the elected EC members. The list of elected members was submitted to the court.”RSS affiliated ABRSM’s Bhaskar Sardar said, “We urged the minister for his intervention and to dissolve the present composition of EC and the Court. We see this move by the department in a positive way. The EC agendas and minutes are public documents. It should have been uploaded on the website. The dept might want to scrutinise if there have been any irregularities.”
