Assam University tyrannically threatened girl who criticised delay in publication of results, Forced to take down the facebook post

Assam University Silchar now has a social media monitoring cell. Any words against the failure or delivery mechanism of the varsity by a student can have dire consequences. At least that is evident from a letter sent on August 26 by the Controller of Examinations of the University, Suprabir Dutta Roy to the Principal of Gurucharan College, Silchar. This letter was sent after one student expressed her woes after the university delayed the result of the passing out batch of Three Year Degree Courses (TDC). This delay has led to failure in securing admission to Cotton University’s master’s program.

We are not naming the student in this report for her privacy but what she shared through her Facebook post is a long-standing problem the university creates every year. The examination of the TDC Final Semester was held in the month of June and it was only in September that the results were declared. Common Universities Entrance Test (CUET) 2023 for Post Graduate (PG) courses was also held in the month of June and results were declared on July 20. Accordingly, various colleges including the University of Delhi and Cotton University released their admission notification based on CUET results in the month of July-August.

On August 9, the student who appeared for her final semester examination took to Facebook after being rejected by Cotton University as she couldn’t produce the results of her final semester examination and stated, “I’m saying and repeating that don’t study in this university if you have some big goals in your life…this University will just ruin your future expectations! I got selected into COTTON UNIVERSITY but because of AUS’ awaited result of UG I lost my opportunity…… It is very miserable to know that every year this problem happens to the students of Assam University and the University does nothing against it. We’re in the same state but if the other universities can declare their results on time then why AUS is failing to do so.. Why the students will always be hampered? Why the deserving candidates cannot fulfill their wishes? I repeat that THIS HURTS MORE THAN ANYTHING when you see your deserving seat being taken by a random candidate just because you are unable to show them your results.”

Asking this basic question and sharing her “misery” grabbed the attention of the Controller of the University, but instead of being compassionate towards the student and many like hers, Suprabir Dutta Roy chose to email the Principal of Gurcharan College and complain about her who according to Dutta Roy “defamed” Assam University in Public. When Dutta Roy didn’t receive any reply to his email from the Principal, he sent an official letter on Assam University’s letterhead from the office of the Controller of Examinations.

The letter addressed to the Principal of Gurucharan College, asked for his reply to the email by August 30, 2023, and said, “failing which her result of TDC(CBCS) even semester examinations, 2023 will be kept withheld”. The letter also had a mention that it was issued with “the approval of the competent authority”. The Principal of GC College, Dr Bibhash Deb, didn’t reply to the email and while addressing the media, he mentioned, “College authority is not competent to take any action against a Facebook post by a student”.

This targeted action against the student for her Facebook post has drawn mass attention from her batchmates. The Gurucharan College Students’ Union too expressed solidarity with her. Speaking to Barak Bulletin, Rohit Chanda, the President of Gurucharan College Students’ Union said, “We demand accountability from Assam University! Recent allegations of threats and academic result withholdings against students expressing concerns are deeply troubling. As a Central University, Assam University must uphold academic integrity. Tampering with mark sheets on the official portal is unacceptable and questions the institution’s commitment to fair academic practices. Such prolonged delays in publishing re-evaluated marks disrupts students’ academic progress and must be addressed promptly. We demand the resignation of the Examination Controller”.

Kanak Lal Deb, the State Joint Secretary of ABVP Assam Pradesh on this matter said, “The current exam controller of the University is trying to attack the basic freedom of expression of the students. If someone voices their concern, it hampers their sentiments and they send official letters to the colleges asking for retribution. Other than that, some students got to see their mark sheets, while others didn’t of the same batch and the same department. That sounds fishy, if the results are to be declared it should be declared all at once and not for one student at a time.

He added, “There was definitely a leak and how can the marksheets be leaked from the examination department of such a big Central University? ABVP will call for a mass protest across the colleges of Barak Valley to decide the present and future of the students and we want this university to stop playing with students’ lives”.

The student didn’t share her academic details like registration number, year of registration, batch, the college she studies in, the department to which she belongs and other personal information. How did the Controller of Examination find all details of the student based on her Facebook post? Who is running the social media monitoring cell at Assam University? Was Suprabir Dutta Roy gathering personal information about the student from her social media account?

The student who went to express her concerns has taken down the post from Facebook after such threatening and career-hampering remarks from the University. On September 1 she publicly apologised on the same platform and wrote, “I’m taking back all those I said and I’m writing this on my own will”. Till the time the report is being filed, Assam University has not declared the results of the examination that was held in June.