Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Jadavpur University Reconstitutes Events Panel After Neha Bora Convention
Jadavpur University changed the group that approves events after a disagreement about a student convention attended by Neha Bora.
The university first dissolved the old group on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, it formed a new group with eight members, led by acting registrar Debajit Datta.
Datta said the old group had not consulted his office before approving the event.
A university faculty member said the organisers had received approval from the committee, but its recommendation may not have reached the registrar.
Some RSS-affiliated representatives objected to the event and questioned whether it followed university rules.
AISA said the event was successful and questioned why other campus events had not faced similar objections.
The university says it supports campus programmes but that event approval procedures must be followed.
Jadavpur University dissolved its events approval committee on Tuesday after a dispute over permission for a convention attended by AISA president Neha Bora.
On Wednesday, the university reconstituted the committee as an eight-member panel headed by acting registrar Debajit Datta, replacing a professor as chair.
Registrar Datta said the earlier committee had approved the event without consulting his office; the former chairperson and dean of students were asked to explain the alleged lapse.
ABRSM and ABVP representatives challenged the approval, citing procedure and a court order concerning political functionaries at university programmes.
AISA and a faculty member offered contrasting accounts, saying the convention had committee approval and raising questions about whether similar rules were applied to other campus events.
- Who
- Jadavpur University, acting registrar Debajit Datta, AISA president Neha Bora, and student and teacher organisations including AISA, ABVP and ABRSM.
- What
- The university dissolved and then reconstituted its events approval committee as an eight-member panel headed by Datta.
- When
- The convention took place Monday; the committee was dissolved Tuesday and reconstituted Wednesday.
- Where
- Jadavpur University in Kolkata, including KP Basu Auditorium and an open campus space.
- Why
- The registrar said the earlier committee approved the convention without consulting his office, a procedural lapse disputed by accounts that the organisers had committee approval.
Criticism of the approval
Organisers’ and faculty perspectives
Whether the approval process was followed
Criticism of the approval
Registrar Datta and ABRSM president Bhaskar Sardar said the committee approved the event without consulting the registrar; university officials sought explanations from the former chairperson and dean of students.
Organisers’ and faculty perspectives
A senior faculty member said the organisers had committee approval, while adding that the recommendation allegedly did not reach the registrar.
Whether the event should have been held
Criticism of the approval
ABVP’s JU unit president Nikhil Das objected to the programme and cited a university circular and a High Court order concerning political functionaries at university programmes.
Organisers’ and faculty perspectives
AISA said the convention was student-organised and questioned objections to it by pointing to other events held on campus. Datta said the university supports freedom of expression and campus programmes, while stressing the need to follow procedure.
Consistency in applying campus rules
Criticism of the approval
ABRSM and ABVP representatives said the Neha Bora event’s approval involved procedural or rules-based concerns; Sardar said different rules applied to a separate programme at the alumni-owned Triguna Sen Auditorium.
Organisers’ and faculty perspectives
AISA’s JU unit secretary argued that comparable procedural concerns were not raised over other events, including programmes attended by a BJP MLA and held by the RSS student wing.
- New panel
- The Approving and Programme Monitoring Committee was reconstituted with eight members on Wednesday.
- Panel head
- Acting registrar Debajit Datta will head the new panel, replacing a professor who headed the earlier committee.
- University action
- The earlier committee was dissolved on Tuesday; the registrar had been directed to oversee programme matters.
- Convention
- The Monday event was attended by AISA president Neha Bora and discussed education and other political issues.
- Stated procedural concern
- Datta and ABRSM president Bhaskar Sardar said the earlier committee approved the programme without consulting the registrar.
- Show-cause notices
- The former committee chairperson and the dean of students were asked to explain the alleged procedural lapse.
- Differing account
- A senior faculty member said the organisers had committee approval, but the committee’s recommendation allegedly did not reach the registrar.
- Court order cited
- ABVP’s JU unit president cited a March 2025 Calcutta High Court direction concerning political functionaries at university-organised programmes.
