“No Alcohol, No Narcotics…”, Jadavpur University allows ICC World Cup Screening for Students but with conditions. Lessons Learnt?

The prestigious Jadavpur University in Kolkata has allowed screening of ICC Cricket World Cup for students inside the campus on Sunday but with strict conditions, violations of which may lead to the denial of permission in the future. The students had approached the university authorities and submitted an application on November 17 for permission of screening inside the campus of the much-anticipated World Cup finals between India and Australia. The university has given permission but with conditions.

The long list of conditions as detailed by the University in their response to the student application, exclusively accessed by News The Truth, included-

1: Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited during watching of World Cup 2023

2: No narcotics substances should be consumed during watching of the World Cup 2023

3: Road blockage (adjacent to Worldview premises) is strictly prohibited

4: No crackers should be used inside the University premises

5: No outsiders will be allowed to watch the match inside the campus apart from JU students

6: Safety and security of female students during watching of the match is the sole responsibility of the undersigned (organising) students

This comes months after the university was hit by massive controversy that followed the unfortunate death of the university first year minor student on August 10, this year. The minor had a fatal fall from the university hostel on August 9, which has now been investigated as a fallout of illegitimate and brutal ragging that the boy was allegedly subjected to. Death of the student had also exposed the dark underbelly of wrongs that had been plaguing the educational institution for years where few students and former students had been indulging in illegal activities including consumption of alcohol both inside the university campus and the university hostel with impunity. It had also come to fore that the university hostel had been den of former students who stayed there for years after passing out and mostly perpetrated the ragging activities on freshers in violations of the UGC guidelines. 13 people including current and former university students have been arrested and booked under murder charges by the Kolkata police. University authorities have faced severe criticism for not being able to implement the strict UGC guidelines including installation of CCTV cameras, over the years, inside the campus. Left leaning student bodies have been objecting to installation of CCTV calling it an interference into their freedom and the rights of students.

The university was also criticised for not being able to control the free entry of outsiders inside the campus and hostel something that later turned out to a major contributor to nefarious activities both inside the campus and the hostel, mostly that went unnoticed and unchecked by the university authorities. Several students had complained of ‘terror’ of the raggers who would unleash ‘unacceptable dictats’ on students and they were mostly bordering torture against the will of the freshers. Jadavpur University has this time made it mandatory for students to adhere to the terms and conditions decided by them while allowing permission of screening of ICC cricket World Cup. “In future, no such permission will be given without following the rules framed by JU authorities”, read the response of university to the student permission application.

Following the response received from the University authorities, the students have made and circulated posters of the match screening that also mention terms and conditions for the people in attendance. The posters in circulation on social media explicitly mention that ‘no alcohol or narcotics substances allowed.’

“We welcome the move by the university. We are students and that is our identity. University needs to be strict at times. The education institution is a sacred placed and students are expected live all the freedom but without compromising on the discipline. The minor won’t come back, that’s the regret but it will be better if we as students and the University at large have learnt the lessons after losing one of our own to ragging”, said a first-year student who doesn’t wish to be identified but is excited to watch the final between India and Australia along with friends inside the campus on a large screen on Sunday. She said several students have bought the India jersey and hopefully nothing would tarnish the jersey and the image of the university, come Sunday.