After NERIST, now the students of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), the lone central university of state is up in arms seeking posting of regular vice-chancellor (VC) and other officers at RGU. On Monday, a huge protest rally was taken out by RGU students union with the support of Rajiv Gandhi University Research Scholars’ Forum (RGURSF) and AAPSU in protest against delay in appointment of new VC. As per the report, university is without a regular VC since December 2017. This has reportedly hampered the functioning of RGU.
The situation in RGU is quite similar to what NERIST witnessed few months ago. The students had to virtually shut down the NERIST campus demanding posting of regular director. After lot of hue and cry, the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) appointed new director for the institute. It seems MHRD is forcing the students of RGU to take similar path. The lackadaisical attitude of ministry towards concern of student communities of state shows that government of India is least worried. Besides RGU, the national institute of technology (NIT) Jote is also functioning without regular director. The apex student body of state, AAPSU, on several occasions has pleaded MHRD to look into these critical issues. But ministry is yet to respond positively. Only lip service of assurance is made and after that there is no follow up action. Before the situation turn for worse, the MHRD should appoint new VC for RGU and also a new director for NIT at the earliest.