JU gives in to faculty-student stir, removes geology dept head

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 4

Succumbing to the relentless protest by faculty members and students, the University of Jammu (JU) administration on late Wednesday evening removed the head of the geology department, JU, Prof Avtar Singh Jasrotia, from his post with immediate effect.

The decision was taken by a high-level meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Manoj K Dhar and attended by all key functionaries of the university after going through the recommendations of a five-member fact-finding committee on the campus.

On Tuesday, the university had constituted a fact-finding panel to look into the allegations of the faculty and students who had gone on indefinite strike, demanding immediate removal of the HoD, geology, Prof Avtar Singh Jasrotia. While three faculty members had gone on hunger strike, students of semester I and III boycotted their exam and held a peaceful protest outside the geology department.

The peaceful protest and dharna on the campus continued throughout Tuesday night and today, students and faculty members also held day-long protests and remained adamant on their demand for the removal of the HoD alleging unnecessary harassment by the HoD.

They claimed that Prof Jasrotia not only used abusive and unparliamentary language, but also threatened the students as well as faculty members with serious consequences in case they complained against his “dictatorial” functioning.

“Following relentless protests of students and faculty members, the meeting of key functionaries asked Prof Jasrotia to step down from the post of HoD respectfully but he refused to doso and sought two days’ time to resolve the crisis. However, the university administration decided to removehim from the post with immediate effect to restore normalcy on the campus,” sources told The Tribune.

“Prof Jasrotia has been relieved from the post of HoD, geology, with immediate effect,” said the university order issued immediately after the meeting.

The protesting students and faculty members also called off their ongoing agitation immediately after the university order.