PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, April 8: A chaos prevailed during the 5th convocation ceremony of Kolhan University at Chaibasa on Friday afternoon when a gold medallist in economics and university topper Soni Sengupta refused to take her certificate and the gold medal.
The student protested on stage just as the governor and chancellor of universities Ramesh Bais, who was the chief guest were about to hand over the medal and the certificate.
The volunteers present on duty somehow managed to control her and made her come down from the stage. She was later taken to the Mahila thana.
Her protest was supported by the All India Democratic Student’s Organisation ( AIDSO ).
The AIDSO members present at the Pillai Hall, the venue for the convocation function said they were against the university’s move to feting students with their degrees in various colleges.
“The convocation ceremony should have a particular venue for honouring students for their academic excellence. But, at the Pillai Hall, only the gold medallists were called for felicitation which is an injustice for the student’s community, ” pointed out a senior AIDSO member.
Yesterday, the students had gheraoed the university campus to press for their demands.
As many as 205 gold medallists and 15 candidates who had completed their PHDs were supposed to be feted at the convocation function which began at around 1.15 pm.
Around 9000 students received their degrees in 25 centres in Chaibasa, Jamshedpur, Ghatshila, Noamundi, Manoharpur, Chakradharpur and Seraikela.
In Jamshedpur, the largest centre was Bistupur- based Jamshedpur Co-operative College.
