Jadavpur University (JU) in Kolkata faces controversy after two students protested alleged religious bias during the annual convocation. On Wednesday, the students displayed a poster reading “There is no place for Islamophobia at Jadavpur University” while receiving their degrees, drawing attention to a recent exam incident.
The protest stemmed from a specific event during an English semester examination on Monday. According to the protesting students, an invigilator asked a third-year female undergraduate student, who wears a head scarf, to help a classmate partially remove her hijab. This request was made to check if the classmate was using wireless headphones during the exam. The check revealed no suspicious items.
One of the protesting students stated, “We protest such conduct against our junior classmate, which hurt her sentiments. We thought such conduct is unthinkable in a place like JU, known for its liberal and secular views.” The students confirmed they did not create a disturbance but chose to display the poster during the convocation ceremony to raise awareness.
Faculty Denies Islamophobia Allegations
Faculty members at Jadavpur University have rejected the accusations of Islamophobia. A senior professor from the English department spoke on Thursday, stating, “We deny allegations of Islamophobia.” The professor explained that heightened vigilance became necessary after several students were caught attempting to cheat in recent examinations.
The professor clarified the context for tightened security, stating, “If anyone’s conduct seemed suspicious, re-checking was carried out.” They added that at least four examinees were caught using headphones the previous week, none of whom belonged to a minority community. This tightening of exam procedures was a response to widespread cheating attempts.
Regarding the specific incident, the professor offered a different account. On the day in question, a student wearing a hoodie was reportedly observed using headphones by research scholars on invigilation duty. This student was then asked to cooperate by another third-year female student and was taken to an adjacent room where no one else was present for the check.
The professor also emphasized that two other students wearing hijabs, one of whom was differently-abled, were not subjected to any checks. The faculty maintains that based on the involved student’s account of the check, the examinations proceeded without objection. They stressed that JU would be the “last place to be levelled with such charges as Islamophobia.”
University Administration Responds
Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee acknowledged the unfolding situation. He confirmed that students had submitted a letter outlining their concerns. Bhattacharjee stated, “Students have submitted a letter to me, and I am looking into it,” indicating an internal review is underway. The university has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident or the protest.
Student Group Distances Itself from Protest Nature
A Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader publicly distanced the organization from the specific nature of the protest involving the religious bias allegation. The SFI leader clarified, “What they did is entirely their own decision. It had nothing to do with SFI’s demonstration during the convocation.” SFI’s separate demonstration focused on demands for immediate student union polls, representation in the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), and campus security improvements.
The SFI leader added, “We do not support any act that may hurt the sentiments of an individual,” indicating a general stance against actions causing distress, while clarifying their group’s protest had different objectives.
Next Steps for Jadavpur University
The Vice-Chancellor’s ongoing review of the students’ submitted letter marks the immediate next step. The university is expected to conduct an internal inquiry to understand the differing accounts of the incident and address the allegations raised by the protesting students.