Kolkata, (Samajweekly) A permanent solution to appointments of Vice Chancellors in a number of state universities in West Bengal seems to be far from sight as yet as on Tuesday, the state Education Department and the Raj Bhavan agreed upon a temporary and interim solution in the matter.
The solution was reached at a meeting between Governor C.V. Ananda Bose and state Education Minister Bratya Basu, also attended by seven state university Vice Chancellors, whose appointment have been legally questioned.
These Vice Chancellors submitted their resignations to the Governor on Tuesday and accepting them, the Governor gave them an extension for another three months.
“There are similar questions in case of certain other state university Vice Chancellors, who could not be present at the meeting. They will come to the Governor House on Wednesday and tender their resignations and will also get similar extensions for three months. During their extension period, the process will start for appointment of permanent Vice Chancellors as per the directives of the Supreme Court,” the Education Minister said.
Basu also said that the state government, state Education Department and the Governor’s House will work together in mitigating the complications on this count. “As directed by our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, I discussed the matter with the Governor today. After that, the solution was arrived at,” he said.
The Governor said that it is not desirable that there is an air of tussle in the education sector. “West Bengal is famous for its rich educational and cultural heritage. We all have to preserve that heritage together. We will all have to work together to ensure the progress of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks of self- reliant India. To achieve that, progress in the education sector is absolutely essential,” he said.
The legal hassles regarding appointments of Vice Chancellors in the several state universities arose since they were appointed by search committees that did not have any representative from the University Grants Commission. The Supreme Court too has opined that such appointments were not good in law. The Governor too has expressed reservations over such appointments.
