Mita Mukherjee
The higher education department on Friday has reiterated that Buddhadeb Sau who was asked by governor CV Ananda Bose to stop functioning as officiating vice-chancellor of Jadavpur University, can continue to exercise his duties as VC.
A letter from the higher education department to registrar Snehamanju Basu said: “…..the stand of the Higher Education Department has already been elaborated and communicated vide letter … dated 23.12.2023. Copy of the same is enclosed again which speaks for itself.”
JU had earlier sought a clarification from the state government on whether the university had a VC or not after Sau resumed office on December 27.
In its December 23 letter, the higher education department, citing the Supreme Court order had stated that no appointment of ad hoc or acting vice-chancellor shall be made in any university till further order.
Friday’s letter came a day after Raj Bhavan sent a letter to JU that officiating VC Buddhadeb Sau is ” no longer the authorized vice-chancellor after the termination letter sent to him a day before the university convocation.
The Raj Bhavan letter to JU pro- vice-chancellor Amitava Dutta and registrar Snehamanju Basu had asked the officials to ensure that Sau does not exercise unauthorised authority and also not allowed to interfere with the university activity any more. The governor, who is also the chancellor of JU and all state-aided university had also said, referring to an order of Calcutta High Court that the power of appointment and re-appointment of any VC is entrusted with the chancellor and not to the state government.
After the issuing of the letter by the higher education department on Friday, Raj Bhavan issued a letter to the varsity in the same evening to heads of all state-aided university describing the higher education department as “unauthorised.”
The Friday letter from Raj Bhavan signed by an official of the chancellor’s secretariat said ” it is reported by the heads of the universities that they are receiving instructions from different sources, particularly from the department of higher education directing them to do things which are not within the ambit of law…”
