Education minister Bratya Basu said the state government welcomed the Supreme Court verdict that said full-term vice-chancellors in the state-aided universities “would have to be appointed in consultation with the state government” and the governor cannot go on appointing interim VCs bypassing the education department.
The minister said this hours after the Supreme Court ordered on Friday that they would constitute a search committee to appoint full-term VCs in the state-aided universities, which are now helmed by officiating VCs handpicked by the Bengal governor in his capacity as chancellor.
“We are against the appointment of interim VCs without holding any consultation with the state government. The Supreme Court has categorically said that the chancellor has to hold discussions with the state government and has to appoint full-term VCs taking the state government into confidence. The Supreme Court has also said that steps would have to be taken to appoint full-term VCs, instead of appointing interim VCs,” Basu told a news conference.
“The apex court has said that they are not relying on the chancellor as far as constituting the search committee is concerned. The Supreme Court has taken it upon itself the responsibility of constituting the search committee. The Supreme Court has in a way given its seal of approval to our contention about the chancellor being incompetent, worthless and delaying the proceedings in constituting the search committee. We welcome the order,” the minister said.
An education department official said an ordinance on a five-member search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of full-term VCs that the governor signed in mid-May had said a nominee of the chancellor would be
the chairperson of the committee.
“It is in this context that the education minister said the Supreme Court is not relying on the chancellor for constituting the search committee. The ordinance was later passed as a bill in the Assembly in mid-July and has been sent to the governor for his assent so it can be turned into an Act,” the official said.
Basu posted on X around 6.30pm: “After receiving no response from Chancellor & UGC to the requests of the State, SC displeased with the Chancellor, expressed concern from the education system in Bengal, stating interim measures can’t continue. Court took it upon itself to form the search committee. State, Chancellor and UGC to give 3-5 nominees in a week.”
Calls, a text message and an email to governor Bose went unanswered.
Minister Basu told the news conference that the state would name its nominees soon.
The fight between the state government and the chancellor intensified since June as Bose later started entrusting people of his choice as acting VCs, bypassing the state government. Among his picks were a retired judge and a retired police officer.
Basu also issued a written statement that said: “The Hon’ble Supreme Court was flustered with the fact that despite their specific observation on the last occasion, neither the Chancellor nor the UGC has taken steps to even respond to the attempts made by the State Government to put a quietus to the issue.
“The Advocate appearing for the Chancellor was questioned as to why the letters written by the State Government were not responded to. The Hon’ble Supreme Court expressed its concern for the students and made it clear that the students or the education system in the State of West Bengal should not be made to suffer.”
