Kolkata, July 28 (IANS) Members of Trinamool Congress’s student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), on Monday, gheraoed the interim vice-chancellor of the University of Calcutta, Shanta Dutta, demanding rescheduling of two undergraduate examinations scheduled on August 28, which coincides with TMCP’s foundation day.

On Monday, TMCP members staged demonstrations at the College Street campus of the university and started the gherao of the interim vice-chancellor at her office.

“The students are protesting against the university’s decision to hold two semester exams on August 28. We have written a letter to the vice-chancellor, requesting her to reschedule the exams on any other day, so that the students can appear without inconvenience,” said Abhirup Das, TMCP member at the University of Calcutta.

The University of Calcutta had announced B.Com Semester 4 and B.A.LLB Semester 4 exams on August 28. According to the university officials, exams are not held only on public holidays. The acting vice-chancellor had argued that it was not possible to hold exams, keeping in mind the dates of every political event.

Last week, TMCP state president Trinankur Bhattacharjee alleged that a conspiracy was hatched at the behest of the Union government to stop the students’ outfit of the state’s ruling party from holding its foundation day programme. However, Dutta had termed these allegations as baseless.

He further said that this decision was putting not only the students who support the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, but also all ordinary students in extreme difficulty, as they would find it difficult to commute that day due to large gatherings.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will address her party’s student leaders on that day from the foundation day programme at Mayo Road.

CPI(M)’s student wing, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), had termed TMCP’s demand for rescheduling the examination just because it coincided with TMCP’s foundation day as “double standard”.

“TMCP is behaving as if colleges and universities are their personal property and their leaders will decide when to conduct exams. This high-handedness of TMCP must stop. This is nothing but their double standard,” said SFI’s state president in West Bengal, Debanjan Dey.

–IANS

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