Jadavpur University authorities decided to bring back the admission tests for six departments of the Arts faculty undergraduate courses in which it was earlier scrapped.
After four days of hunger strike by students of Jadavpur University Arts faculty and weeks of uncertainty on the admission procedure, the Executive Committee (EC) restored its June 27 decision when it decided to hold entrance test for selecting students in six of 12 arts faculty departments on a 50:50 weightage (board examination results:admission test).
This decision had been subsequently scrapped altogether. Current students, alumni, teachers, retired teachers and the staff of JU protested this sudden “whimsical decision” on part of the university authorities and students went on a hunger strike.
After an initial emergency meeting of the EC on Tuesday in which the decision was taken to hold an admission test, another extended meeting was held to decide on the modalities of this test.
Teachers continue to be worried that there may involvement of external examiners in this test. The teachers were upset with this factor from the very beginning — because involvement of external examiners meant the authorities have no faith in the teachers who have painstakingly conducted the admission tests for years. The teachers are also worried about the admission test format. There is a possibility the admission test may involve multiple choice questions (MCQ), which is inadequate in grading an applicant’s merit in literature subjects.
In the past two days, four students on hunger strike were taken to hospital . They had been on hunger strike for nearly 96 hours and their sugar level and blood pressure fell significantly. They have been kept under observation.
