Agri varsity VC likely to proceed on leave for 6 months

With the students of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar, and the district administration reaching an agreement, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof BR Kamboj, is likely to proceed on leave for six months. An independent inquiry will be conducted by a three-member judicial committee, headed by a retired judge, to examine the police action against students and the alleged misconduct by university officials.

The development came after 15 days of dharna by the students. Sources said the higher political leadership in the government held talks on the phone with the students today, after which an agreement was reached.

The student leaders informed fellow students and other protesters that the government had agreed to implement their eight-point demands in a phased manner. In response, the students said the dharna would continue until all the demands were implemented.

The district administration spokesperson also confirmed that the government had agreed to the demands of the students.

During the discussions, the students claimed that the government was likely to bring about key administrative changes, including the transfer of the Chief Security Officer, Sukhbir Singh. Also, the Registrar, Dr Pawan Kumar, and secretary to the VC, Kapil Arora, would be removed from their present place of postings. The Dean of Students’ Welfare, Dr ML Khichar, has also been divested of the charge.

The students claimed that professors named in their complaints — Dr KD Sharma, Dr Atul Dhingra, and Dr Dalip Bishnoi — would also be relieved of their current duties.

The students have been assured that there will be no disciplinary or legal action against those who participated in the protest.

Moreover, the students maintained that their demand to restore the cut imposed on the scholarship had also been accepted. The examinations, which were not taken by a majority of students, would be rescheduled, and a uniform fee structure for students admitted through the JRF and entrance-based admissions would be implemented. Rules applicable to the main HAU campus would now extend to Kaul and Bawal campuses, they claimed, adding that MBA students would also be brought under the scholarship scheme.

Besides, the university’s academic council would include two elected student representatives, marking a significant step in student participation in university governance, they said.

The Education Minister, Mahipal Dhanda, informed ‘The Tribune’ that local administrative officials had held talks with the students and the government had told the officials to prepare and send the summary of the final outcome of the agreement. He said they had already accepted all the demands of the students during their earlier meeting with the students.

Haryana Tribune