Kolkata, 23 August (H.S.): Professor Shubhshankar Sarkar, former Vice-Chancellor of Netaji Subhas Open University (NSOU), has declined to take charge as chairman of the inquiry committee constituted to investigate the recent incidents at Jadavpur University.

According to sources, Sarkar informed the university authorities of his decision through an email on Saturday, August 22. His refusal has raised questions over the future of the inquiry committee and whether it will be able to begin its proceedings as originally planned.

The university had constituted the committee to investigate a series of incidents that took place on the Jadavpur University campus on August 19 and 20. Sarkar had been named as its chairman. The panel also included Arunashish Goswami, Vice-Chancellor of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University, and Soumendu Chattopadhyay, Director of the IQAC at Presidency University.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, a teachers' organisation at Jadavpur University, raised objections to Sarkar's appointment as chairman. The organisation alleged that questions had previously been raised over Sarkar's role in a controversy related to teacher recruitment and demanded that he be removed from the leadership of the inquiry panel.

However, sources said Sarkar had already emailed the university declining the chairman's responsibility before the teachers' organisation publicly raised its objections. Therefore, it is not yet clear whether the organisation's objections had any connection with his decision.

The university authorities now face the question of whether to appoint a new chairman or restructure the inquiry committee altogether. With the chairman declining the assignment even before the investigation could begin, sections of the education community believe the inquiry process has been pushed into fresh uncertainty.

Attempts were made to contact Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya on Sunday for his response, but he did not answer the phone.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey