RSS-linked JU teachers meet vice-chancellor, seek response on hiring ‘irregularities’
Telegraph | 16 May 2026
RSS-affiliated teachers’ association Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) met Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee on Friday and sought his response within a week on alleged irregularities in the recruitment of deans, placement officer and faculty secretaries.
The association sought a response on why interviews were held to shortlist candidates for the appointments while the model code of conduct was in force in the state.
Members of the association also raised questions about the election of teachers’ representatives to the university’s executive council, its highest decision-making body.
“We want the election of teacher representatives to be reversed. When the university does not have an amended statute, how was the election conducted?” said Buddhadeb Sau, former VC of JU and a member of the association.
The association also sought the university authority’s response to allegations that the executive council resolution granting promotional benefits to non-teaching staff had been tweaked.
The RSS, which has opened a shakha on the JU campus, has been trying to expand its base through greater engagement with teachers and students.
VC Bhattacharjee told Metro: “I have received a charter of demands from the ABRSM. They have sought my response on certain issues.”
A teacher who is a member of the association said the university authorities were not expected to implement decisions taken by the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government after a new state government had come to power with a “resounding mandate”.
“The new government has been voted to power with 207 seats. This means people have rejected the Mamata Banerjee government. In this scenario, recruitment, promotion and election of teachers — everything must be reviewed by the government that has just assumed power. The university authorities must consult the state government before taking any important decision,” said Sau.
He referred to recent state government decisions, including dissolving school managing committees for fresh constitution and making Vande Mataram mandatory during morning prayers in government and government-aided schools.
“Similarly, they should review the decisions taken by the JU authorities and then approve them,” Sau said.
Sau had earlier been appointed interim VC of JU by then governor C.V. Ananda Bose, bypassing the state government.
Last week, the teachers’ group had told the VC that the university administration must engage with them, as it does with other bodies such as the Left-backed Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA), before taking any major decision.
JUTA secretary Partha Pratim Roy said the teachers representing the ABRSM identified themselves as “advisers” during Friday’s meeting with the VC.
“Did the state government appoint them as advisers? Or are they self-proclaimed advisers? Be it appointments or the election of teachers’ representatives to the executive council, everything has been done according to rules,” said Roy, who is also a teacher representative on the council.
“The officials had to be appointed because the posts had remained vacant for years,” he added.