The decision of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to let a senior faculty member of the Visva Bharati University (VBU) – Professor Sabujkali Sen – continue as the officiating Vice-Chancellor even after the expiry of her term has generated controversy in the university, founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921.
The complainants – who are attached to University’s executive council – claimed that the MHRD’s decision to allow Prof. Sen to continue was an outcome of a “forged minute” of an executive council meeting. Denying the allegation, Prof. Sen told The Hindu she was functioning as officiating V-C as per the instructions of the ministry.
The problem began when the MHRD wrote to the University’s acting registrar, Sougata Chattopadhyay, on March 5, asking him to take “appropriate action” to ensure that Prof. Sen continued as the officiating V-C even after her term as Director of Studies, Educational Innovation and Rural Reconstruction (SEI and RR) of the university – and hence as a member of the executive council – expired on February 24.
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Prof. Sen became the officiating V-C because she was a member of the council and by virtue of her position as Director of SEI and RR. It was done as per clause 3 (6) of the Statutes of the University. According to the Statutes, in case the pro-VC is not available, the senior most director will become the officiating V-C till a regular V-C assumes office. It further states that if none of the directors are available then the senior most adhyaksha (dean) of a Bhavana who is also a council member will become officiating V-C.
The President’s nominee in the council, Sushovan Banerjee, who chaired the council meeting on February 17, said that the agenda no. 2 of the meeting comprised a proposal of extending Prof. Sen’s tenure as the Director of the SEI and RR but it was turned down by the council.
“There is no provision in the Visva-Bharati Act, 1951 and Statutes to extend the tenure of any director. There is a provision that in the absence of the V-C the senior most Adhyaksha of Bhavanas, who is also a council member, will take charge. If he or she retires or quits then the senior most principal will take charge as officiating V-C,” Dr. Banerjee told
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He further alleged that in the minutes of the meeting circulated to the council members on March 19, agenda no. 2 was replaced with another item. Dr. Banerjee has written to President Ram Nath Kovind about the issue.
“To our utter surprise Prof. Sabujkoli Sen prepared a forged minute on agenda item 2, though a draft, which contains full of lies and the minute was approved by her before getting our approval,” Dr. Banerjee stated in his letter to President dated April 2, 2018.
Denies allegation
Prof. Sen said: “Agenda no. 2 of the council meeting was not replaced by any other agenda.
The allegations raised by him (Sushovan Banerjee) are not true. I think he has not been able to understand the issue properly. I am functioning as officiating VC as per instructions of MHRD. I have nothing else to say on the matter.”