Varsity event tiff over dress

Darbhanga: The Lalit Narayan Mithila University will organise its eighth convocation on Sunday but the LN Mithila University Teacher’s Association (LNMUTA) has decided to boycott it over the dress code among other issues.

The university has decided to introduce kurta-pyjama or dhoti and stolefor boys and shalwar kurta or sari for girls. The saafa would replace the traditional headgear. The event will be held at the Dr Nagendra Jha Stadium in Darbhanga. Governor Satyapal Mallik will chair it in the presence of education minister Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma and a large number of guests.

“Teachers of 39 out of 43 colleges under LNMU have deci-ded to boycott the ceremony as the university has shown insincerity towards the teachers by not associating them in the planning of the convocation ceremony,” said LNMUTA president Chandra Mohan Jha. “Even the attire, especially the paag (headgear) seems to mock our Mithila culture.”

LNMUTA and Mithila Student’s Union (MSU) have raised objections over not being involved in the preparations. “Unnecessary expenses are made in the name of convocation while issues like development of Women’s Institute of Technology, regularisation of academic calendar and timely examination are not attended to,” Chandra said.

Prof Ashok Jha, a teacher at LNMU, said the dress code was decided after approval of the syndicate. “The issue should have been raised during the syndicate meeting.”

LNMU registrar Mustafa Kamal Ansari, however, said LNMUTA is part of the university family and “I believe they will all participate”. He also assured that all guests would be felicitated with Mithilanchal’s traditional paag and dopta (stole worn by men during felicitation).

Courtesy: The Telegraph