External invigilator beaten up, ACTA take resolutions

Our Correspondent

Silchar, May 23: An untoward incident occurred at MCD College, Sonai during the ongoing Even Semester Examination, 2018. Sanat Dutta, retired associate professor of Cachar College, Silchar, was assigned with the duty of external evaluator at the college. However from the very first day of the examination, no security arrangement was made at the exam centre by the centre in-charge. Dutta brought this matter to the notice of the principal of the concerned college as well as the Controller of Examination (COE), Assam University. He even reported verbally to the COE about incidents of adopting en masse unfair means by the students.

The external invigilator, the invigilators of the said college remained mute spectator to such activities. As such, Dutta himself caught red handed many students while they were copying during the examination. Certain students even threatened the External with dire consequences and this was officially reported to the principal and COE by Dutta. In spite of this, security arrangements were not made by the centre. Moreover, he even found that seat plan was not prepared in a proper way and this was not taken care of by the principal even after repeated reminder and request by Dutta.

Ultimately during the morning shift exam on May 21, Sanat Dutta noticed that all students of Chemistry 401 were made to seat together and similarly students of Political Science 401 were also given seats together. Dutta objected to such defective seating arrangement and directed the students to change their seat. At this, some students reacted vigorously at the External Invigilator in front of the invigilators. Just after the examination, two students physically assaulted Dutta in front of the main gate of MCD College. As a result, Dutta, a man of 63 years of age was profusely bleeding.

This is not an isolated incident. In the past too, many such untoward incidents were reported by the External Invigilators who went on duty at MCD College. In the light of the above, Assam College Teachers’ Association (ACTA), Cachar Zone, in its emergent extended meeting held at Cachar College on May 21, adopted some resolutions. A high level enquiry will be made to ascertain as to why no security arrangement was made by centre in-charge of MCD College.

The house also unanimously resolved that henceforth no member of ACTA would ever perform any official assignment at MCD College, Sonai since this would be a threat on life of the teachers. It was resolved that on humanitarian grounds keeping in mind the future of the students, the teachers of G.C. College will take the practical examination of the students of MCD College for this semester only (Even Semester 2018). However, from the Odd Semester examination 2018, the COE should withdraw the practical examination centre of MCD College from G.C. College. It was also resolved that no provincialised college in Cachar district would provide centre for practical examination to MCD College. The memorandum which has been sent to the Vice-Chancellor of Assam University has been signed by Sudarshan Gupta, president, Hemanta Kumar Bora, secretary, of ACTA.