Ray, who takes over in the wake of unrest on the campus, said any difference of opinion within students and the teaching and administrative staff has to be taken care of. “There should be no negative feelings among the students and the faculty and if they can remain united, the university has the potential to be developed like an IIT,” said Ray.

The 55-year-old vice-chancellor who has about 29 years of experience in teaching and research in electronics and applied area intended to boost research activities on the campus. “There are some departments like electrical engineering and metallurgy & material science that are doing good work, but the research atmosphere on the campus has to be revived,” he said.

Ray, who at present is heading the School of Medical Science and Technology, a school for interdisciplinary research at IIT Kharagpur, aims to establish two hubs in medical science and technology research in the city with the BESU being its nodal centre. “The next era will be of medical science and its amalgamation with technology. If as a country we have to progress beyond information technology, it is going to be the technology.” said Ray.

Ray is looking forward to start dual-degree B Tech programmes at the university, which has got considerable success at the IITs. “In case we require any help, we can always bank on IIT Kharagpur, the institution I have been associated with,” he said.

On the insistence by the faculty members that he reside on the campus, Ray said, “Staying on the campus at night is very important. I might have some health problems but since I have been given the responsibility, I will try to do as much as possible.”

The teaching community at the university welcomed the change of guard.