"More students will get rusticated if they don't follow rules and regulations," warns AUS Administration

Assam University Administration has made it clear that they are neither going to bend nor crawl in front of the pressurising students. Assam University Silchar is again in the headline and again for non-academic reasons. The authority, after bringing seven charges against research scholar Milon Das decided to rusticate him for a period of two years. Not only that, the authority filed an FIR against him in Silchar Sadar Police Station which has a few non-bailable charges against Das.

The Assam University Students’ Union sat on a protest last morning demanding immediate revocation of the rustication, withdrawal of the FIR and resignation of the vice-chancellor of the university. Vice-Chancellor professor DC Nath is Kolkata for some important work and in his absence, Pradosh Kiran Nath, registrar in-charge, Assam University spoke with Barak Bulletin.

He said that the administration warned Milon Das many times before deciding to rusticate him. He added that the allegations against the administration brought by the students who according to him are protesting to meet their vested interest are baseless. “The authority is well within its right to rusticate a student who refuses to follow the rules and regulations time and again. Also, the administration is not answerable to anyone. I must admit that the vice-chancellor is a very calm and composed personality and that is why Milon Das did not get rusticated earlier,” said Nath.

He was of the opinion that the students are entitled to have their reservations and if they have any sort of complaints against any teaching or non-teaching staff they must put it across during the executive council meeting. If it does not get sorted there they can even opt for a democratic protest, “Abusing vice-chancellor, raising slogans like Hu Ha Hu Ha Humara VC Chuha (VC is a rat) Mera Joota Tera Muh (Your head my foot), Nanga Karke Marenge (Will strip and beat), calling administrative officials swine (suorer baccha) in the university campus is not a democratic protest. These are not signs of a democratic protest but an exhibition of ill-mannered behaviour,” said Nath.

Nath made it clear that Milon Das is not the only one alleged with such allegations, there are other students too who resorted to such abusive slogans ones or twice, but the VC remained lenient. “If the rules and regulations (that each and every student sign while admitting themselves in the university) are not followed again and again more students will get rusticated,” he asserted.

The registrar in charge alleged that a section of students spend more time in admin block than they do in their classes. He complained that the students interfere in administrative decision making and often pressurise the administration to agree to their unethical demands. When asked to give a few examples, Nath said, “Last year the university granted Rs 25 lakh to the students to celebrate their social week. Authority is not supposed to grant any such funds as the students have their cultural fund which has around Rs 16 lakh in it. Yet, it was decided that this year the university will grant 10% more than last year for the students to celebrate their Social Week well. The students demanded that the university must grant Rs 90 lakh or else they will sit on strike.”

Apart from that, Nath said the students also demand that the university must clear dues kept in several shops and stores which the administration finds unethical.

He appealed to the guardians of the students and the intellectuals of the valley to stand by the teaching and non-teaching fraternity of Assam University Silchar as they are working in a scenario where the students can raise their hands on them every now and then. “Senior teachers are kept hostage in the university till 3:00 AM in freezing cold weather. Ailing professors are not allowed to take their medicines on time. Non-teaching employees are threatened to life and all this has become a daily routine. Only a section of students volunteer in such activities which brings the academics to a halt and all other students who enroll themselves to study and excel in life suffer,” said Nath.

He concluded, “Assam University Silchar is a result of a hard-fought battle fought by Barak Valley. The Unversity is a great opportunity which promises a great career and therefore a great life. Hijacking the academics and arm-twisting the administration is a big insult to those who sacrificed a lot to get us the university.”