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“Darjeeling Hill University is set to start offline classes from April 9th, 2024: a temporary yet significant victory for the students of DHU, yet the struggle to safeguard DHU remains. ” – Com. Sumendra Tamang writes on the state of affairs in DHU and the ongoing students struggle to save the university.
COLLECTIVE salutes the victory of DHU students for the Right to Education and calls for amplifying the battle to build state-funded education!
On September 5th, 2018, the foundation stone for Darjeeling Hills University (DHU) was laid down by the Government of West Bengal, and in 2023, the admission process was halted. New admissions were not taken because the newly established university lacked a campus, hostel, offline classes, proper infrastructure, and faculty to function. Multiple appointments for VC were made, and the faculty and infrastructure of North Bengal University were given added responsibility for DHU. Multiple promises were made but were rarely implemented. DHU currently offers six postgraduate departments, providing MA/MSc in English, Political Science, Nepali, History, Mass Communication, and Mathematics.
The students of DHU were left clueless after the university failed to provide offline classes. Suddenly, the university stopped admissions this year, leaving a batch of students in their second year. The students had nothing left but to speak out against such a state of affairs themselves. As a result, the senior passing students of DHU showed tremendous courage by speaking out against this state of affairs happening under the guise of DHU, the first university of Darjeeling. Nevertheless, students from faraway places such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars, and even Assam have enrolled in this university. On January 25th, 2024, the students of DHU organized a peaceful demonstration at the so-called DHU campus at Mungpoo (previously Mungpoo ITI building but later designated as DHU campus). Many students from Dooars, Siliguri, and Assam were present for the protest demonstration. They had traveled a long way to reach their university campus. What they saw was empty buildings with a so-called caretaker, gates locked. Outside these locked gates, the students spoke out against the discrimination and hardships that they had gone through. The students called for the regularization of DHU, proper and valid mark sheets, and proper faculty members (not someone working in another college and also teaching online at DHU), etc. After all, it is a matter of great concern for the passing students and also a threat to the regularization of DHU. It is worth mentioning here that on March 3rd, 2021, a tender of more than 30 crores was approved by the Office of Superintending Engineer, Public Works Directorate, North Bengal Construction Circle – 2. The original construction site of Jogighat still is consumed by wild weeds. A small foundation stone under the name of Mamata Banerjee lies there.
On March 7th, 2024, the Government of West Bengal notified the names of DHU’s new registrar, Dr. Sujata Rani Rai, and its finance officer, Dr. Nirmal Subba. On March 19th, 2024, the controller of examinations of DHU announced that hard copies of mark sheets would be distributed to the 4th-semester passing students of DHU from March 28th to April 2nd, 2024. These students have received their mark sheets. Also, on April 3rd, 2024, the newly appointed registrar of DHU, Dr. Sujata Rani Rai, notified the 3rd-year students that offline classes would commence from April 9th, 2024, at Mungpoo DHU campus. This marks a victory for the student fraternity. However, caution is warranted, and the possibility of this being a political gimmick to settle scores during elections should not be overlooked. Nevertheless, without the relentless struggle of DHU students, some things are changing, which is a good sign. The entire population of Darjeeling, Terai, and Dooars should realize the significance of this contribution toward the educational possibilities it might create for the local students of this region. Imagine if a handful of students united, could achieve this, what the general unity of the entire student fraternity could accomplish! The student movement of Darjeeling has been a spoon-fed appropriation of parliamentary parties for voting majority as foot soldiers of ‘the greater good.’ However, this time this is not the case. A section of concerned civil society and activists have also extended their solidarity to the students of DHU.
However, on the same date of April 3rd, 2024, the new registrar also notified about the unavailability of hostel facilities at Mungpoo campus and hence suggested a list of names who could ‘assist the students looking for accommodation.’ It is not clear, nevertheless, about the actual nature of such accommodation and assistance. What will be the character and also the fee structure of such means of accommodation? This remains shadowed with the lack of information from DHU officials.
The fate of present students of DHU, however, remains unclear. The future of this university looms around with uncertainty. New admissions are halted. This may be a temporary bandage, but the actual cure lies in the full regularization of Darjeeling Hill University with fully-fledged libraries, permanent faculty and infrastructure, hostel accommodations, and reopening of the admission process, etc.
We, as a society, should realize the importance of a university and hence speak up to regularize it with proper infrastructure and faculty, not just paperwork because paperwork has been notified before and multiple expectations have been left unfulfilled. The students had nothing left but to speak out, and they did.
The struggle for the regularization of DHU must be given primary importance, and due justice should be given to the student fraternity of DHU. The local administration and the Government of West Bengal should not play with the possibility of Darjeeling Hills University, which has been an age-old demand of this region. To safeguard it or not lies in our hands.
Com. Sumendra Tamang is a cultural activist associated with Laali Guraas.
