Visva-Bharati University registrar resigns amid student protest over hostels reopening

KOLKATA: Amid an ongoing student protest over reopening of hostels, Visva-Bharati university Registrar Ashis Agarwal stepped down from his post on Tuesday, an official said. Agarwal, who had been gheraoed in his chamber from March 1 to 3 by the agitating students, again faced their ire during an administrative meeting on Tuesday morning.

A Visva-Bharati spokesperson said Agarwal sent his resignation letter to Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty but did not cite any reason for his decision to quit. He said that Agarwal's family lives elsewhere in the state and that could be a factor. He was appointed as the registrar of the central university a few months ago.

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Meanwhile, the students continued their protests inside the university campus stating that though the authorities acceded to their demand for reopening the hostels, the facilities are not yet ready. SFI Visva-Bharati unit leader Somnath Sow told PTI that they feel sorry for the registrar who had to resign due to the hostile attitude of the top authorities towards the issues faced by students.

Sow and two other students had been on a relay hunger strike inside the campus demanding immediate reopening of hostels. The students also boycotted offline semester exams of UG and PG levels.