Calcutta University interim VC says institution not bound to declare Vishwakarma Puja holiday

Kolkata, Sep 17 (PTI) In a fresh row over academic autonomy, Calcutta University officiating Vice Chancellor Shanta Dutta on Wednesday said the institute "is not bound to go by the West Bengal government's decision" to declare Vishwakarma Puja as a holiday on campuses and affiliated colleges.

Dutta was previously criticised by the ruling Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad for holding undergraduate semester exams on August 28 — the student organisation’s foundation day.

Speaking to reporters, Dutta said, "Vishwakarma Puja had not been a holiday in CU on past occasions. It was not included in the academic calendar finalised earlier this year. Even if the government declares it a holiday now, the university has the functional autonomy to decide its own holidays." " She added that while some affiliated colleges may have chosen to close, CU’s main campus and many others remained open.

"It was not my own decision. The university stakeholders and the registrar are also of the same view. We need to save our working days for the smooth functioning of the university," she said.

Reacting to Dutta's stand, TMCP state president Trinankur Bhattacharya alleged that Dutta was deliberately proceeding on a warpath with the education department to placate someone else.

"She had unnecessarily raked up a controversy over our organisation's foundation day by forcing 30,000 candidates to write exam papers on August 28 and putting them to inconvenience. She thinks that she is above the institution. She has been occupying the VC's chair illegally as her tenure ended months ago," Bhattacharya said.

"Vishwakarma Puja has long been observed as a holiday in schools and colleges and universities, but Dutta is hurting the sentimentss of students by her act," he said. PTI SUS MNB