The action of Chairman of the PG Council of the Berhampur University (BU) Prof PK Biswasroy in cancelling the first Semester Post-Graduate Examinations of the university on April 25 on the pretext of student unrest but allegedly at the behest of the former Students’ Union president has once again been dragged into controversy.
The Students’ Union had resorted to agitation several times during last two months demanding a probe into the irregularities of the university in post-Phailin construction works including scams relating to the purchase of streetlights and guidebooks for the DE students by the Vigilance which remained unheeded.
The PG Council Chairman seems to have been singled out as one group of students who are opposing the cancellation of their semester examinations have once again protested such cancellation and demanded removal of Prof Biswasroy from his post. As a result, the situation in the university campus is tense since last one week and a police force has been deployed to meet any eventuality. The Syndicate of the university has reportedly ordered for a thorough investigation of the issue.
On the other hand, the students have questioned an impartial probe of the matter before investigation starts and have demanded removal of the PG Council Chairman. The students had submitted a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Prof Deepak Kumar Behera before the meeting of the Syndicate on Saturday, but in vain.
Meanwhile, student leader Sudit Kumar Padhi has alleged that on the very day of the cancellation of the examinations, Prof Biswasroy was in the dual charge of PG Council Chairman and Vice-Chancellor. Padhi alleged that the PG Council Chairman arbitrarily cancelled the examinations misusing his official power. However, the decision of the Syndicate for an impartial probe into the issue is welcome, he added.
Another student leader, Banaj Kumar Nahak, has also demanded removal of Prof Biswasroy from his post so that a bias-free probe is held and the students get justice.
It may be noted that last month when the investigation into the scam of URET question paper leak was on, the then PG Council Chairman Prof Ashoak Kumar Panigrahi was removed from the post by the Syndicate to ensure an impartial inquiry. When the question paper leak scam and the subsequent action on Prof Panigrahi still hammer the minds of the students, his successor has again been dragged into the controversy of shifting semester examinations with some ulterior motive.
The Vice-Chancellor has assured the students to discuss the issue of examination cancellation in the next Syndicate meeting, sources said.
When asked, member of the inquiry committee and Principal of Khallikote (Autonomous) College Dr Ratnakar Gajendra said that as per the decision of the Syndicate the matter would be probed thoroughly and the PGC Chairman would be interrogated.
However, the continuity of Prof Biswasroy in his post during the course of the investigation depends upon the Syndicate and he has nothing to do with it, Dr Gajendra added.
The students have, meanwhile, demanded completion of their semester examinations before the summer vacation. A former student leader has demanded that all the inquiry reports including those relating to the various examination scams during the last five years be made public and accountability be fixed.