Presi climbdown on code of conduct

Kolkata: Presidency University will not include the portions of a code of conduct, which had been framed recently and had triggered a protest on campus. On Monday, the university reportedly made a written promise that the code of conduct will only include the existing rules. However, this has not been confirmed by the university officials. This was for the first time that Presidency University drafted a code of conduct for the students and employees to follow on campus. Several students protested against the code of conduct. The university’s Student’s Federation of India (SFI) unit gave a deputation to the authorities on June 22 after the parents of some students, identified with their partners on the campus, were called. The SFI unit also raised questions on some of the points mentioned in the code of conduct such as restricting students from furnishing audio and video clippings of any activity on the campus without prior permission, creating disproportionate noise and students need to take permission before organising meetings and processions. The SFI unit circulated a google form in which more than 400 students reacted against these points. The SFI unit secretary, Rishav Saha, said, “Dean has written that the objectionable points will not be included.” TOI tried to contact the dean Arun Kumar Maity but he neither took the call nor replied to the text message.Ahan Karmakar, a student, said, “On Monday, when we were protesting in front of the dean of student’s office, the girl’s hostel super misbehaved with some of the students.”