His role according to the Constitution — one of dignity and neutrality — as well as his role, by virtue of his position, as chancellor of state universities, such as Jadavpur University. There, too, his role is an honorary one, not one of fencing with the academic community that runs the institution. This activism has spilled over into his role as chancellor as well. The governor’s remarks, though, suggest the possibility of encroaching on a university’s autonomy and imposing an extra-academic authority even in the choice of honorary degrees. The university wishes to honour certain individuals — who must it inform and consult?

Source: The Telegraph October 20, 2019 20:03 UTC