‘People authorised to perform V-C duties in 8 univs not valid’

Kolkata: The Educationists’ Forum on Saturday claimed the persons authorised by the Chancellor to perform the duties of Vice-Chancellors in eight state universities and two more universities where the authorised persons have been given additional charge is no longer valid.

These universities include Calcutta University, Sanskrit College and University,

Diamond Harbour University, Ambedkar University, Kalyani University, Bankura

University, Sidho Kanho Birsha University and Kazi Nazrul University.

The other two universities with additional charge are West Bengal State University and Kanyashree University.

They claim that as per the Act governing the universities, nobody can be an interim Vice-Chancellors for more than six months. “Since the six month period is over, the West Bengal government must immediately act under the 2017 Act and the 2019 Rules and take immediate necessary action,” they stated.

The Forum, represented by Professor Omprakash Mishra, Professor Debnarayan Bandopadhyay, Professor Ranjan Chakrabarti, Professor Swagata Sen and Deb Kumar Mukherjee, had earlier stated that the Chancellor of state universities, Governor C V Ananda Bose, of asking universities to bear the legal expenses of the advocates appearing in connection with the SLP being heard in the Supreme Court.

Later it surfaced that Calcutta University had transferred Rs 9,90,000 to an advocate appearing in the case.

State Education minister Bratya Basu had earlier said that he will draw the attention of the Supreme Court to the claims made by the Educationists’ Forum.

Matter related to the SLP regarding the issues centred on appointment of V-C in the public universities

of West Bengal.