New BHU VC takes charge

The newly-appointed vice-chancellor of BHU here today said that any decision on whether to hold students' body or student council elections at the varsity would only be taken after thorough discussions with faculty members and students.
Girish Chandra Tripathi today took charge as the 26th vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) here.
Addressing a press conference, Tripathi said that his emphasis would be on creating a productive environment at the varisty and improving its global ranking.
Several students were arrested by Uttar Pradesh police while five hostels of BHU had to be vacated when violence broke out last week in the sprawling campus over a demand for the holding of student union elections.

The BHU students union was dissolved in 1997 as a result of large-scale violence. Since then, for nearly 10 years, the campus has had no students' union.
In 2007-08, a students' council was formed in place of the students' union. But students' groups have for long been demanding restoration of the students' union.
Tripathi said a speedy and fair probe would be conducted to find those guilty for the violence on campus even as he added that it has to be seen that the future of innocent students, who were not involved in the violence, is secured.