The proposal to replace the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities has received a mixed response from teachers’ unions on the approval of the West Bengal cabinet. Organizations like JUTA and WBCUTA have condemned the move and called for appointing any eminent academician to the post, while ABUTA said the move would make educational institutions the center of politics, but WBCUPA, which is closely associated with TMC Known for, said it was necessary. For the “non-cooperative attitude” of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) said in a statement that the move would “increasing the state’s dominance over the universities”. “This would make the concept of autonomy, long robbed of non-existence by academics, for a long time. Nude displays of corruption, nepotism and partisan politics will be common in state universities,” said Partha Pratim Roy, general secretary of Juta.
Alleging that both the central and state governments are bent on taking full control over higher educational institutions bypassing the law, Roy said, “We have been speaking against this trend for a long time.” He said that the Governor is not even required to become the Chancellor and if such a post is required then a respected academician should be considered. The West Bengal cabinet had on May 26 approved a proposal to replace the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities.
State education Minister Bratya Basu had said that the proposal would soon be introduced in the state assembly as a bill. Subodhya Dasgupta, president of the Left-leaning West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association (WBCUTA), said the proposal was unfortunate and against all norms. “The constant conflict between the governor and the state over the functioning of educational institutions is not right, but the post of chancellor should be reserved for academicians,” he said.
All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA) spokesperson Gautam Maiti, known for its proximity to SUCI (Communist), said the move would make higher educational institutions the center of politics. West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUTA) President Krishnakali Basu said the move was necessary in view of the difficulties faced in the functioning of colleges and universities due to the “non-cooperative attitude” of the current chancellor, governor. The governor, by virtue of his office, is the chancellor of all state-run universities in the state.
Dhankhar has come face to face with Mamata Banerjee Government in the state on several issues since taking over as governor in July 2019. He recently locked horns with the state government over the appointment of vice-chancellors (VCs) of state-run universities among other issues. He had alleged that “Vice-Chancellors of 24 universities have been appointed illegally without the approval of the Chancellor”.
In December last year, the governor had expressed displeasure over not attending the meeting called by the vice chancellors and vice chancellors of private universities at his official residence. He had expressed his inability to attend the meeting citing the COVID-19 situation. Dhankhar had faced a similar situation in January 2020 when vice-chancellors of state-run universities were invited for a meeting.
He had alleged that the state government was making appointments to the post of vice-chancellors in various universities without the advice of the chancellor, and he was being forced to take a tough stand on such developments. The governor had then said that all appointments needed to be reconsidered and called for a focus on improving the educational environment in the state.
The state’s education minister said last year that it was time to introspect whether the governor needed to “continue the colonial legacy” to get the chancellor’s post. The decision of the West Bengal cabinet was based on a recommendation made by the Punchhi Commission in 2010 to stop the practice of appointing governors as chancellors of universities.
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