Angry students create ruckus in IIT-Jodhpur
The strike was to demand the removal of Director Prof. CVR Murty whom the students have held responsible for the termination of faculty members' tenure.
The protest by students of Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur (IIT-J), one of the eight new IITs established under a special central legislation, against alleged illegal termination of faculty members took a turn for the worse on Tuesday when the students locked the institute's administration block.
The strike, which began on April 1, was to demand the removal of Director Prof. CVR Murty whom the students have held responsible for the termination of faculty members' tenure.
The students are also demanding the roll back of the recent termination of Dr Ganesh Bagler and transparent and fair investigation in all the past terminations during Murty's tenure.
"In the last one year, services of 16 faculty members were either terminated or they left, while only three new teachers joined," said Professor Vijay, highlighting the paucity of faculty at IIT-J. Rejecting the allegation against him, Murty said the termination (of the faculty) was done by following due process by a review committee of "nationally renowned experts".
"Moreover, the appointments were made subject to an annual review by the panel. And it was the review committee that had decided to terminate the teachers' service and I have no role in it," he asserted. Murty said he has urged the students to come to the negotiation table at least four times but nothing has happened on that front.
"Every time I try to talk to them, the students remain silent. They had sent a letter to the institute's board of governors demanding minutes of the past four meetings with the students on their issues. Accordingly, I have provided them the minutes. But the protest continues. Now I am writing to their parents, requesting them to ask their wards to return to classes. Hope this would work," Murty told MAIL TODAY.
The protesting students have also requested for the intervention of the HRD ministry. Amardeep Sharma, PRO and assistant registrar of the institute, said, "A total of 38 faculty posts were lying vacant against the sanctioned strength of 90. Currently, offer letters have been issued to seven new teachers. During Murty's tenure, four terminations, including three faculty and a member of the staff, have taken place."
In September last year, faculty member Snehlata Jaswal and staff member Pankaj Singh had moved the Rajasthan High Court against the termination of their services. On Monday, Dr Bagler also filed a writ petition in the high court, challenging his termination only to withdraw it on Tuesday, saying that the management had assured to review its decision.
The students have also held Murty responsible for closing down innovation and incubation centre, new B.Tech. programmes and centralisation of power.