Guwahati: The Dibrugarh University authority has allegedly flouted the provisions of the University Act, 1965 while appointing the members of the executive council of the premier higher education institute in upper Assam.
Sources said the executive council of Dibrugarh University has been functioning without members from the Deans of Faculties of the university for the last two months.
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As per clause 17 (xiii) of the Dibrugarh University Act, 1965 (as amended up to date), one Dean of Faculty to be chosen as a member of the Executive Council, the chief executive body of the university, by the Vice Chancellor from the Deans of Faculties of the University for a period of three years by rotation according to seniority.
According to a source, on that basis, Prof Aparna Konwar, Dean of Humanities and Law was appointed as a member of the Executive Council whose term got completed by the first week of October, 2022.
After the completion of Prof Konwar’s term, Prof. Sarat Kakoty, the next senior most Dean of the university should have been appointed as a member of the executive council.
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“However, Prof Kakoty, Dean of Science and Engineering, has not been appointed as Member of the Executive Council by the Vice Chancellor for the last two months now,” said a university insider.
On the other hand, the last meeting of the Executive Council on October 21, 2022, was held without the Dean member under the above-stated clause of the DU Act.
Moreover, the last meeting of the Executive Council was held online mode although the situation was quite normal.
On the contrary, on October 26, the meeting of the Court, the highest body of the university, was held offline.
So, the meeting of the Court was held offline just 4 days after the meeting of the Executive Council which was held online.
It is difficult to understand why the authorities could not conduct the Executive Council meeting offline in a normal situation when the University Court can do so.
Sharply reacting to the allegations, renowned social scientist Dr. Apurba Kr Baruah said, “Dibrugarh University Administration has been going down the hill under the present regime with definite Government complicity.”
Dr Baruah, who taught political science at the university, also cast serious doubt on the fair investigation into the ragging incident in the university.
“How can fair investigation take place under the present Vice Chancellor and the Register of the university, if the allegations are true?” Dr. Baruah, who was also a secretary of the Dibrugarh University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) told Northeast Now.
Ananda Sharma, an M Com student of the university, had jumped off the second floor of his hostel room to “save” himself from his seniors who allegedly “ragged” him.
Based on a complaint filed by Sharma’s parents, Dibrugarh Police arrested five persons, who were allegedly involved in the ragging incident.
The authority of Dibrugarh University had suspended three wardens of the hostel of the varsity and ordered an internal probe into the incident.