Kolkata: West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee has said there should be transparency in the admission process of Jadavpur university. Mr Chatterjee told reporters he was fully aware of all the developments in the Jadavpur university but did not wish to interfere, when asked about the university’s decision to put on hold the process of history admission and sit-in demonstrations of the arts faculty students which began on August 8.
“I have been watching the developments from a distance and if someone took up the issue with my department, we will talk to the Jadavpur university authorities to ascertain the situation,” he said here on Friday.
Without naming anyone, Mr Chatterjee said, “We also believe in the autonomy of Jadavpur university. But those having talked about no interference into autonomy, won’t they agree to the point that talent should be the only yard stick in assessing a student.” The Arts Faculty Students’ Union and a section of Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association had alleged the education minister was “interfering” into the functioning of JU.
Referring to the reports that he had suggested a uniform admission procedure in all streams to the Jadavpur university authorities last November, Chatterjee said, “I had only observed that there should be uniform rule in all departments. Now, I can see many of those having sat for admission tests (to the arts) are dissatisfied. “My apprehensions are proving to be true as the entire admission process is getting delayed. I heard that one having got 98 per cent marks (plus two) board exams, got six (in written admission test). I think there should be transparent evaluation,” West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee said. The AFSU on August 9 withdrew its protest after the Dean of Arts, Subhasis Biswas, said he was quitting from the admission process. The protest was held against the university’s decision to put the history admission process on hold.
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