Kolkata: During an ongoing semester examination, a first-year postgraduate female student at Jadavpur University has come forward, accusing a senior faculty member of sexual harassment. In an email addressed to JU Registrar Snehamanju Basu on Wednesday night, the student expressed concerns about the accused teacher, a former department head, potentially jeopardizing her academic journey. Copies of the email were also forwarded to the UGC chairman, the state women’s commission chairperson and the Jadavpur police station, as reported by news agency PTI.
Basu told PTI that she has received the mail and forwarded it to the internal inquiry complaint committee for a speedy and impartial probe.
On Thursday, PTI obtained a copy of the email, where the Journalism and Mass Communication department student detailed her allegations against the accused teacher. She claimed that during a recent first-semester examination, the teacher subjected her to an “uncomfortable frisking” in front of male students, accusing her of cheating. However, according to her account, nothing incriminating was discovered during the search.
Allegations against the professor extend to allegedly forcing her out of the exam hall midway during the second examination. However, the current department head intervened, allowing her to complete her papers after a delay.
Hailing from Midnapore, the woman also implicated two final-year male students from her department, accusing them of urging her to “give favours” to the senior faculty member. The accused teacher remained unavailable for comment.
Partha Pratim Roy, General Secretary of the Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) said that based on the information available to the teachers’ body, the student was apprehended by a lady invigilator for using unfair means during a test.
Roy described the claims as “shocking and scary”, expressing JUTA’s insistence on a prompt investigation into the complaint.
“The invigilator on duty had herself called the HoD and other senior faculty members to the exam hall. The accused professor then went there… If such charges are levelled against invigilators, we will think twice about continuing that duty,” he said.
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