Barak students' body demands reservation at Assam varsity for local students

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Silchar, June 3: Assam University has mostly been in the news for wrong reasons. All Cachar-Karimganj-Hailakandi Students’ Association (ACKHSA) has been most vocal about the issues and concerns since the time of the inception of the Varsity. “We are deeply concerned at the indifferent attitude of the authorities of the University in the matters related to admission of students belonging to the five districts of Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, NC Hills and Karbi Anglong in various departments. I fail to understand the reasons behind such attitude,” said Rupam ndi Purkayastha, advisor of the central committee of ACKHSA, addressing mediapersons here on Saturday.

 In this regard, they have also submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor of the University. It has been mentioned in the memorandum that students of this region are economically backward and are forced to depend on the Varsity for higher education, and with this in mind the marks for admission was relaxed to some extent. “We demand that a bonus of 40 marks should be provided to the students from the five districts. Students hailing from their territory of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) should be given the same privilege as the Bodo people also stood by ACKHSA expressing their solidarity during the movement for setting up of Assam University in Barak Valley,” Purkayastha added.

 Purkayastha further said, “Gauhati University and NEHU have kept two seats and 10% reservation respectively for non-local students. Due to ACKHSA’s commitment towards the students of this region, Assam University at the time of its inception reserved 10% seats. During the tenure of the former Vice-Chancellor, Dr Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, we made a request for 20% which was agreed immediately. But when Prof Somth Dasgupta took over the charge, the system itself was declared null and void. As a result of which, a number of students failed to get admission in the University. We want that students of this region should be given the topmost priority.”

 A number of other vital demands, which have been placed before the authorities concerned, include introduction of PG courses in four subjects in Gurucharan College, Silchar declaration of results within 45 days of examition and supply of error-free mark sheets.

“We met with the Vice-Chancellor of Assam University. He said that teachers often go on vacations soon after the examitions get over. As a result of which it takes time to declare results within time. However, the VC has asked for 50 days or so for declaration of results.” He also pointed out that like last year, mass scale error in mark sheets has been found this year too.

 The advisor also said that the VC has assured that there will be no mass scale errors in the mark sheets of the students. Alok Dhar, general secretary of the Association said, “Like every year, we will felicitate toppers and meritorious students of both HSLC and HS level on June 12. We have been felicitation meritorious students since 2009.”