Impasse over recruitment of V-Cs resolved with Guv: Min

Kolkata: The impasse over the recruitment of Vice-Chancellors was resolved with the extension of their tenure for a period of another three months in 24 universities.

Governor CV Ananda Bose, who happens to be the Chancellor of the state universities, held a meeting with state Education minister Bratya Basu at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday to resolve the row for the smooth functioning of the varsities. It has been decided that a search committee will be constituted during this period to set the ball rolling for the recruitment of new Vice-Chancellors.

A meeting regarding the issue was held at Raj Bhavan between Bose and Basu on Monday evening and again the two met on Tuesday. This time, the Vice-Chancellors of seven varsities were also present. V-Cs of universities namely — Kazi Nazrul University (Dr Sadhan Chakraborti), Sanskrit College and University (Anuradha Mukhopadhyay), West Bengal State University (Mahua Das), Burdwan University (Nimai Chandra Saha), Sidho Kanho Birsha University (Dipak Kar) and Kalyani University (Manas Kumar Sanyal) submitted their resignations to the Governor.

The latter accepted the same and soon allowed three months’ extension in their tenures. The rest of the Vice-Chancellors who could not attend the meeting at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday have been asked to report to the Governor’s house on Wednesday and repeat the same procedure to get an extension.

Basu told reporters that the Governor has given the necessary approval for constituting the search committee for the recruitment of new Vice-Chancellors.

“Nabanna, Raj Bhavan and Bikash Bhavan will work together. As per instructions of the Chief Minister, I met the honourable Governor and discussed the issue. Now, things have been resolved,” he said, adding that differences with the Governor that had happened earlier will be a thing of the past.

The Vice-Chancellor of Netaji Subhas Open University Ranjan Chakraborty was also present during Tuesday’s meeting. However, he did not submit any resignation as his tenure is ending in March.

Governor Bose made it clear that there should be no differences in matters of education. “Bengal is known for its education and culture. It is the responsibility of all to uphold this. There should be coordination for the advancement of education. The progress of education is necessary for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ which Prime Minister Narendra Modi often speaks of,” Bose said.

As per UGC rules, the approval of the Governor is necessary for the appointment of Vice-Chancellors as the latter is the Chancellor of the state universities.

Meanwhile, experts feel that “diplomacy has triumphed over acrimony” as the Vice-Chancellors willingly resigned before the Bengal Governor even though a row is alive in many states on the issue of the Supreme Court nullifying the appointment of Vice-Chancellors without observing the UGC regulations.

Experts also felt that the Governor staged a silent coup by persuading the Vice-Chancellors to put in their papers.

The Vice-Chancellors whose tenures have been extended were asked to continue as caretakers for a temporary period of three months till the regular Vice-Chancellors are selected as per the norms laid down by the Supreme Court and the UGC regulations.