Bratya hails SC for backing CM’s V-C picks in state univs

Kolkata: With the Supreme Court on Monday clearing the way for the appointment of permanent Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) in six state-aided universities of Bengal, state Education minister Bratya Basu on Tuesday welcomed the court’s decision to “endorse the names suggested by the Chief Minister”.

The apex court order brought an end to over two years of uncertainty over leadership in these institutions.

Basu wrote on X: “We express our gratitude to the Hon’ble Supreme Court — once again it has established itself as the vigilant guardian of the Constitution and democracy. The Hon’ble Court has endorsed the names first preferred by the democratically elected Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for appointment as Vice-Chancellors in six state-aided universities.”

The court’s directive came after a detailed hearing on the long-standing dispute between the Bengal government and Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the Chancellor of all state-aided universities, over the process of appointing V-Cs. A Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, after hearing both sides, observed that there was “no impediment” to proceeding with the appointments for six universities.

According to officials, Ashutosh Ghosh will be appointed as V-C of Calcutta University, while Chiranjib Bhattacharya, former registrar and pro-V-C of Jadavpur University and current president of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE), will head Jadavpur University.

The other four who will become V-Cs are Ashis Bhattacharya (University of Gour Banga), Uday Bandyopadhyay (Kazi Nazrul University), Chandradipa Ghosh (Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University), and Abu Taleb (Biswa Bangla Biswavidyalaya).

Sources in the Education department said the Governor’s office is expected to issue formal notifications for these appointments shortly. Officials added that while there was initial consensus on eight appointments, last-minute differences arose between Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister’s Office over the proposed names for North Bengal University and Raiganj University. The names of Om Prakash Mishra and Arnab Sen have been kept in abeyance.