In one of the glaring instances of what political blood feud can do to the cause of quality education, India’s premiere educational institution Jadavpur University is almost out with a begging bowl.
Thanks to the Centre and the State allegedly turning a blind eye towards its financial needs.
With contribution from the University Grants Commission coming to a nada and that from the Mamata Banerjee-run State Government coming in trickles, a cash-starved JU has appealed to its former students for contributions so that “at least the research works do not get hampered.”
According to internal sources post 2017 the contributions from the UGC has nearly stopped whereas the State Government too has not been contributing more than what is required to clear off the salaries of the staff. “In that event the research work which has been backbone of the University’s success worldwide has been hugely hampered,” said a senior professor and civil engineer.
So much so that University Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das has appealed to the JU alumnus settled world over for funds. “Initially we had been receiving generous contributions but after the pandemic it is quite embarrassing to approach people for funds as everyone has suffered economically … in that case the stagnation continues,” said another professor associated with Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA).
A majority of JUTA members feel that the University owes its fund crunch to its Left leaning. “The central-run UGC is not contributing its share to the University clearly because JU much like JNU has a Leftist atmosphere controlled by the Left students’ union … the Trinamool Congress Government of the State too has reduced its funds for the same reasons … this has not been telling on the academic health of the University,” a JUTA functionary said.
JU being a State-run University the State Government pays the salary and development funds while other exepnditures including the the research works came from other sources including UGC funding.
The staff are seeing a clear political angle to the “deprivation suffered by the JU one of the topmost universities of the country which --- according to a recent report published by a top US University --- accounted for 42 scientists ranking among the best 2 percent scientists of the world.”
Reacting to the present situation columnist-businessman and former JU alumni Suhel Seth said Jadavpur University being a premium educational institution the Mamata Banerjee government owed a respnsibility that the university did not suffer academically.
“Mamata Banerjee has been spending lavishly in all other things from Pujas to anything … she should consider that if her government allows this financial crisis to continue then it would be a dishonour to the State,” Seth said.