As an alumnus of Jadavpur University and currently an Assistant Professor at Bidhan Chandra College, Asansol, I find myself increasingly disturbed by the recent turmoil on campus. Once a symbol of intellectual rigor and progressive student activism, Jadavpur University now finds itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. What should have been a forum for constructive discourse ~ the convention of WEBCUPA attended by educators across West Bengal and the Honorable Education Minister, Bratya Basu ~ descended into violence, chaos, and outright anarchy. Professors were assaulted, vehicles vandalized, and even the state minister was injured.

The scene was harrowing ~ professors who had traveled from various institutions, including many from Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman and many other districts found their vehicles targeted, with windshields shattered and their personal safety at risk. For years, they had heard of the increasing radicalization on campus, but to witness it firsthand, to be subjected to the very hostility they had read about, was a rude awakening. What impression does this leave on the academic community? What message does it send to those who once held Jadavpur in the highest regard? The situation has since escalated, with students threatening an indefinite shutdown if their demands, including the withdrawal of legal cases, are not met by the administration.

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But amidst the battle cries, have we paused to reflect on the deep er crisis unfolding? Jadavpur University, once an Institution of Eminence, has lost that status, and no one seems to be asking why. A university’s reputation is built on rigorous scholarship, a culture of debate, and an unwavering commitment to academic freedom. However, when these principles are compromised by recurring instability and a shift away from intellectual pursuits towards aggressive activism, it is inevitable that such a prestigious status would be revoked.

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This should serve as a wake-up call, urging us to reflect on whether we are prioritizing institutional integrity or allowing it to be eroded by external influences and internal discord. Are we witnessing the death of academic excellence at the altar of aggressive and often politically driven protests? Jadavpur University has a storied legacy of student activism. Like many of my peers, I, too, engaged in protests, debates, and ideological struggles during my time there. But our activism was rooted in intellectual rigor and the power of argument ~ not in intimidation, violence, or........

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