'Crisis at Our Darjeeling Hill University: No Exams, Teachers or Administration'

The careers of hundreds of students at Darjeeling Hill University are at stake amidst the uncertainty over the functioning of the university.

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I dreamt of becoming a professor, so I enrolled for an MA in history at Darjeeling Hill University (DHU) in Mungpoo. But now, I can see my dream crumbling as the future of my university is uncertain.  

I enrolled in 2022 and am a second-batch student at Darjeeling Hill University. For the first two semesters, studies went fine, and exams were being held. It was a regular university life for me.

But then, after July 2023, neither our classes were scheduled, nor was there any notification for the commencement of our classes or exams.

All of us are stressed out as two years of our careers seem to be getting wasted.

The condition of our seniors, the 2021-22 batch, is no different. They gave their final semester examination in July 2023, and till today, they haven't got their final marksheets. They only have their provisional marks that were released online by the university.

There are 163 students in the batch who are senior to us. All of them are struggling to gain admission to higher courses because they haven't received their mark sheets even six months after their exams.

They are under tremendous pressure as admissions for the new sessions will begin soon, and they don't have the certificates to apply at other universities.

Protest by the students of Darjeeling Hill University.

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With no degree, it’ll be difficult for us to apply and get a job. Most of us come from very humble backgrounds, and our families have high hopes for us. They hope that once we complete our education, we can get a well-paying job and support them.

No Infrastructure & Staff

We are afraid that our degree might no longer be valid. The university has not been accepting any more admissions since last year, and even for this year, there is no notification for new admissions.

The university is in such a poor state at present that it does not have adequate staff to run the six courses of the master's degree. The North Bengal University (NBU) at Raja Rammohunpur, Darjeeling, takes care of the administration. 

The university doesn't have its own campus, and it's functioning temporarily from the new building of Mungpoo ITI. Classes for three semesters of our senior batch and two semesters of our batch were held online. 

We lack the essential infrastructure for the university to operate smoothly. Despite the foundation stone laid in 2016, as of 2024, we continue to grapple with challenges in organising classes and exams.

Around 350 students of our batch, who took admission in 2022, have almost lost a year, as only two semesters have been completed in almost two years. We were supposed to complete our two-year post-graduate degree in mid-2024, and our third semester is yet to start.

No Response From North Bengal University

For months we have been trying to reach out to North Bengal University (NBU) to carry out our studies and exams, but there has been no response. We have written to the examination controller at NBU and the governor of West Bengal about the same, but there has been no solution to our problems.

Even since the tenure of our temporary Vice Chancellor Dr Prem Poddar ended, DHU doesn't have its own VC. We even protested on the DHU’s temporary campus in the hill town of Mungpu with the demands to appoint officials for the university so that all the academic and administrative work is carried out. But till now, we haven't got any solution to our problems.

The Quint Reached Out To Controller Of Examination

The Quint spoke to Dr Debasis Dutta, the controller of examination and he reiterated the lack of staff to run the university. "Darjeeling Hill University currently lacks key administrative positions such as the Vice-Chancellor, Finance office, or Registrar," said Dr Dutta.

Dr Dutta is the sole officer overseeing university affairs, serving as the Controller of Examination and conducting examinations.

"I have reached out to the government, the governor, Gorkha Territory Administration Chairperson Anit Thapa, the Higher Education Minister, and the Chief Minister, urging them for the allocation of funds and appointment of staff at the university."

Dr Debasis Dutta, Controller Of Examination

On the issue of not conducting exams, Dr Dutta said that they don't have funds, and that's why exams are on hold. On the students' mark sheets, he said," I have requested the examination-conducting agency for the hard copy of students' mark sheets, but their payment is pending as well. The university is constrained by a lack of budgetary allowances for classes and examinations, leaving us unable to assist the students effectively."

"With no Vice Chancellor in place, there is no approving authority, and the university is struggling to mobilise resources. We have communicated all these challenges to the government and anticipate a prompt resolution," added Dr Dutta.

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