Silchar: In a significant development at the National Institute of Technology Silchar (NIT Silchar), Dr. Brinda Bhowmick has been appointed as the new Dean Academic, replacing Professor BK Roy. This change in leadership follows a period of controversy and student protests, primarily sparked by the tragic death of a third-year student, Koj Buker. The announcement was made in a notice issued by the institute, citing Clause 19 of the “First Statutes under NIT Act 2007,” with the effective date being September 25, 2023.
The notice, while formally acknowledging the services of the outgoing Dean Academic, Professor BK Roy, also marked the end of his tenure. It read, “The services of Prof. BK Roy, Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, as Dean Academic are acknowledged with appreciation.”
The controversy surrounding Professor BK Roy’s tenure erupted following the suicide of Koj Buker, a third-year student at NIT Silchar. The student body alleged that Buker’s death was the result of harassment and denied admission to register for academic courses due to backlogs.
In response to this tragedy and the subsequent protests, students of NIT Silchar embarked on an indefinite hunger strike, demanding the removal of Dean Academic BK Roy and an unconditional apology from the administration. The strike, which lasted for five days, came to an end on Friday, after the administration decided to remove Professor Roy from his position.
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Speaking to the media, student representatives stated, “Dean Academics, BK Roy was the reason behind Koj Buker’s death. We wanted him to be removed and an unconditional apology from the administration. But when the director said sorry and folded hands, we felt bad as he is our Guru. Respecting his words, we are calling the agitation off.”
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