By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: Students of the Aliah University are boycotting the semester examinations in protest of the negligence of the University authority, demanding proper recognition and campus placements.
Some students had started boycotting examinations from the last week of April itself, but on May 2 they organized themselves. On May 3, students from all streams of the university gathered at the Salt Lake campus and gheraoed the Register and the Controller of the examinations.
What is our future, career, ask agitating students of the Aliah University gathered in front of Saltlake Campus.
Giasuddin Molla, Minister of state of Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah education of West Bengal urged the students of Aliah University to stop the boycott and sit for the semester examinations. Students, however, are demanding intervention from the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also Minister in Charge of the of Minority Affairs and Madrasah education .
On December 15, 2011 while laying the foundation stone of Aliah University Campus at Rajarhat New Town, Saltlake, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had assured international standards to this state minority university and urged the minority community members to take advantage of the facilities.
Students are boycotting the end semester examinations demanding degree recognition, campus placcements.
Aliah University is an UGC approved autonomous institution under the Department of Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education, Government of West Bengal. Aliah University, formerly known as Madrasah-i-Aliah or Calcutta Madrash, is one of the oldest educational institutions of India. It was founded in 1780 by the then Governor General of India, Warren Hastings. In 2007 it was upgraded to University and a Minority Institution under the Aliah University Act XXVII of 2007 passed in West Bengal Assembly under the Left Front regime.
Aliah University began its academic program from the 2008-09 academic session, however, five years down the line and several technological courses like MCA, MBA, BTech are either not affiliated by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) or do not have any campus placement arrangements.
Anwar Hossain, Register of Aliah University had given written assurances to agitating students 5 February, 2013 to look into the matter, but without any avail.
Aliah University runs several 5 year integrated courses in Geography, English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, etc. However, several students find it difficult to switch universities, if they so desire and are hence demanding separate degrees for graduations and masters.
As state universities’ norms allow only 5% enrollment of candidates from other universities, several students find it difficult to migrate to other universities and are hence also demanding courses like MTech and BEd.
A students’ delegation of Aliah University met Giasuddin Molla, Minister of the Minority Affairs and Madrasha Education Department of the Government of West Bengal on 22 April, 2013. A leader Students Union of Aliah University shows their memorandum which was submitted to the Minister.
University authority informed TCN that their application to the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for the affiliation of the teachers’ training courses was earlier declined as the form was not duly filled.
To run technical courses, any university or institution needs approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and Aliah University has none yet. According to an informed source in the university, they have not yet even applied for the approval. Students are hence afraid that their degrees would have no market value.
Poster of the students of Aliah University: `First Campussing, then exam. Plzz Don’t play with our future’.
According to Aliah University sources, a mega job fair was organized by the university on 9 and 10 March, 2013 at Haj Tower Cum Empowerment Centre, Kaikhali, near Kolkata Airport. Final year students from BTech/MCA/MBA were requested to submit their Curriculum Vitae to the Training and Placement office of the University. TPO had also distributed a list of 30 willing companies, but on the final day only two companies arrived. Although TPO Ahish Chatterjee had assured that 15 more companies would soon come for campus placements, but those assurances have not yet materialized.
A student told TCN that even the two companies that had come for the placements, were offering monthly salaries of no more than Rs 4-5 thousand.
Demand for separate Mark sheets for Graduate and post graduate courses.
On March 5, 2013 also some students had organized an agitation at the Salt Lake campus of the university for demands like hostel subsidy, and introduction of courses like MTech and Bed, separate degrees and mark sheets for graduation and masters, and placements support for final year students.
According to agitating students, then a written promise was given to the students by the Register Anwar Hossain for looking into the matter.
Introduce immediately the M.Tech course in Aliah University. A poster on the wall of Aliah University Campus at Saltlake.
Currently, at least 1000 students are on strike and are boycotting the on-going semester examinations, demanding intervention from the WB CM. Students are pleading to the authorities and the state government to not play with their future and career.
Campussing demand for B.Tech/MCA/MBA final years students of Aliah University.
According to TCN sources, on the University administration has called a meeting on May 6 to discuss with students their grievances and to try and find solution to the ongoing impasse.