Ragging death: Dissatisfied over 1st report, UGC serves another notice to JU authorities

Kolkata, Aug 17 (IANS) Dissatisfied with the first report from Jadavpur University authorities on the unfortunate death of a fresher student on August 10 allegedly because of ragging, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has slapped a fresh notice to the JU authorities seeking a number of clarifications.

The JU sent the first report to the commission early this week.

The fresh notice has come just 48 hours after the JU registrar Snehomonju Basu on Tuesday afternoon claimed that UGC has expressed satisfaction over the first report. Basu also claimed that the commission was so satisfied with the report that it has even cancelled the schooled visit of its anti- ragging cell members to the university on August 16.

In the second notice that reached via an email to the JU authorities on Thursday afternoon, the UGC has questioned whether brochures circulated by the university authorities to the fresher students contained the contact numbers of the ragging- helpline and anti- ragging committee of JU.

The UGC has also questioned whether the JU authorities had an undertaking from the students about understanding the punishments that involvement in raging will attract. The commission also questioned whether the JU authorities got a separate undertaking from the guardians on this count.

The commission has also questioned whether the JU authorities follow the practice of holding meetings with teachers, wardens, students’ representatives, guardians and local administration, including police before the beginning of every academic year.

Finally, the commission has again questioned whether the JU authorities had created a separate hostel for the fresher or first- year students imposing restriction on senior students from accessing that.

The JU authorities have been asked to give these clarifications to the commission within 24 hours from the time of the receipt of this notice.