Teachers unions claimed that the tension between the state government and the Raj Bhavan was hampering the functioning of universities (Representational image)
Governor’s letter to chancellors of all government universities has angered the Trinamool Congress government, with Education Minister Bratya Basu insisting that the order has no legal validity
Leading university teachers’ bodies in West Bengal on Sunday claimed that Governor CV Anand Bose’s recent letter asking vice-chancellors to submit weekly reports on the functioning of universities will not help in addressing the real problems faced by them.
The Governor’s letter to the Chancellor of all government universities has angered the Trinamool Congress government. Education Minister Bratya Basu insisted that the order had no legal validity.
The teachers’ unions claimed that the tension between the state government and the Raj Bhavan was hampering the functioning of the universities, and it would be difficult for the chancellor to understand the situation as the universities’ statutes had not been amended.
The letter, sent on April 4 by a Joint Secretary-level officer of the Governor’s Secretariat, said that “the weekly activity report will be submitted by email on the last working day of the week and any decision with financial implications may be submitted prior to could.” Approval of Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor”.
All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA) executive committee member Gautam Maiti said the state government’s and Raj Bhavan’s “tendency” to take all powers into their own hands will hamper the academic functioning of universities and “political interference” is more desirable than anyone. Wasn’t
He claimed that the direction to send weekly reports and regular updates on important financial matters would reduce the power of vice-chancellors.
“We do not want interference from any side which merely threatens the autonomy of the academic institution. It is affecting the society and creating a deadlock in the functioning of higher educational institutions.”
Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) general secretary Partha Pratim Roy told PTI, “We have nothing against vice-chancellors being in regular touch with the governor, who is the chancellor of the state’s universities, but we are concerned about this.” Confused that the weekly activity report really serves any real purpose. He expressed surprise that none of the universities has a chancellor’s nominee while the statutes have not been amended: “How can he (Bose) get a clear understanding about the functioning of universities?” He claimed that JUTA had sent four letters to the chancellor to draw his attention to the academic and administrative problems faced by universities, including JU, but received no response from the Raj Bhavan.
Education minister Bratya Basu said on 7 April that the governor’s letter “has no legal validity” without taking the state higher education department into confidence.
Basu had claimed that the governor had issued the letter without taking the government into confidence and that he had no knowledge of the letter before being pointed out by VCs of some universities.
The development comes in the backdrop of the state government reversing its earlier decision to make the chief minister the chancellor of state universities during Jagdeep Dhankhar’s tenure after the state objected to his various “unilateral interference” in the autonomy of state universities Was. Action including convening meetings with Vice-Chancellors and going against the names recommended by the Government as new Vice-Chancellors.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)
