Agitation in Visva Bharati over new admission policy, authorities in no mood to relent

 Normal functioning was affected in Visva Bharati on Tuesday following agitation over the newly introduced admission policy doing away with the 'internal quota' system.

The university, however, refused to roll-back the policy and was mulling to take up the stalemate issue with West Bengal Governor, even as the Registrar D Gunasekharan went on leave from Tuesday. Decrying the "autocratic attitude" of the varsity authority, a spokesman of the agitating students' forum Joint Action Committee said, "The university action is against the interest of students of its own affiliated schools and undemocratic."

"Our committee consists of teachers, non-teaching employees, officers, ex-students and guardian representatives, reflecting a cross-section," he said. Meanwhile, acting Registrar Manimukut Mitra in a press release said, "The Vice-chancellor sought an appointment to apprise Governor K N Tripathy who is also the Rector of Visva Bharati of the recent agitation in the institution against the admission policy." The Registrar D Gunasekharan went on leave on Tuesday folllowing the agitation by students, university sources said.