VNSGU senate meet held under tight police security

Surat: The senate meeting of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) was held among heavy police bandobast here on Tuesday. Tight police bandobast was made due to fears of protest, the university sources said.
One police sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors and 10 cops of other ranks were posted outside the senate hall. Besides them, there were over 20 security guards, too, including a few women guards. Two guards stood in front of the dais during the meeting to stop any surprise protest.

Interestingly, only one member from the opposition group was present at the senate meeting. A Congress leader Bhavesh Rabari raised issues against the university administration. Rabari said heavy police bandobast was “an attempt to terrify teachers and senate members.”

However, 10 newly-elected Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and affiliated members began to shout and did not allow Rabari to speak.

Majority of vice-chancellors in the past stayed away from answering questions directly in the meeting and the practice continued this year too. Vice-chancellor Shivendra Gupta appointed pro vice-chancellor Bhaskar Rawal to answer all the questions on his behalf.

Out of the 163 questions put up for discussion in the question hour, the senate could discuss only six. “Several supplementary questions were raised by members to the first six questions and discussion not on a single question raised by me was held. Out of the total 163 questions, I had asked 96 but my questions were pushed down the order to avoid discussion on them,” Rabari said.

The senate was informed that the university does not accept fees through cheque or debit card at VNSGU head office, but online submission of fees is possible. A senate member argued that there were not enough dustbins on the campus as claimed. The issue of non-utilization of a bus given to the university through MP’s grant was also discussed.

Head of economics department S Shrinivasa Rao suggested mention in the PhD notification that the degree has been awarded as per the latest rules of University Grants Commission. Principal, PT Science College, Pruthul Desai expressed concern over 4 per cent result in PhD entrance examination and head of department of English Rakesh Desai with regard to the education system going in the wrong direction. Head of human resource management Kiran Pandya pointed to shortage of administrative staff and low salaries to those hired on contracts.