West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Bill deferred

The higher Education department on Friday deferred tabling The West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Bill, 2016.

Partha Chatterjee, the state Education minister said that the tabling of the Bill had been deferred as 

difference had been noticed in the draft proposals and the final Bill.

Moreover, the bill was placed “in a short span of time” and the Left Front and Congress MLAs and 

even some Trinamool Congress MLAs had requested him to defer tabling of the Bill as they could not go through it.

“The Bill was placed in a short span of time and Congress and Left Front MLAs and even many of our MLAs told me that they did not get time to go through it,” he said adding “some had even suggested that the Bill should be sent to the select committee. In view of their observations, we thought of deferring the tabling of the bill.”

Abdul Mannan, Leader of the Opposition said: “It is a black Bill as it will withdraw autonomy of the colleges and universities. The state government can dissolve any governing body. The college management can introduce various measures like biometric attendance etc. The Principal shall prepare an annual confidential report and performance appraisal report for all employees of the college.”

He said the Bill had given power to the state government to withhold even pay packet in case the colleges fail to comply. “This is undemocratic and by using this provision, the ruling party will always 

try to keep the colleges under its control. The state government can appoint an administrator in colleges except those run by minorities if the colleges fail to comply any of the provisions.”

Mannan also said such a Bill will spoil the academic environment in the state “as the teachers will be under constant fear that they would be pulled up for one reason or the other.”