West Bengal chief minister Buddhedeb Bhattacharjee's plans to turn the 192-year-old premier education institute of the state, Presidency College, into a unitary university has hit a major road block after his partymen opposed it. The college has been demanding autonomy since long.
It was raised in the 70’s but got snubbed. In 1884, Professor Bhabatosh Dutta Committee and in 1992, Ashok Mitra Committee recommended autonomy. But all these recommendations were rejected as the CPI(M)-backed West Bengal College University Teachers’ Association (WBCUTA) was against the move.
The issue again raised its head after the Government’s Expert Committee referred for the same in 2006. But the powerful lobby of CPI (M) didn’t allow this to happen. The Buddhadeb government was ready to give limited (sans staff and professors’ selection) autonomy. But, the UGC rules do not stand by such self-determined autonomy. However, the governing body of the college found that under the present rules, the UGC will not allot grant for Presidency College unless it is upgraded to the university level. The governing body, under continuous pressure from the departments took the resolution and sent a report to the chief minister and the higher education department on November 9. It was after this that the chief minister announced his decision on December 16. The proposed bill is likely to be introduced in the state assembly.
With the CPM-backed teachers association WBCUTA opposing the move, it seems difficult for the college to get autonomy. Questioning the right of the governing body, WBCUTA general secretary Shyamal Basak said: “Why was the teachers’ council not consulted before such recommendations? Will the merit level reach the sky if it gets university status?”
In fact, WBCUTA was jolted after St Xaviers’ College and Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission got deemed university status. This has created a sharp division in the CPM hierarchy too.
Currently, it is located on 14.5 acre and its hostels are on 2.30 acre. The college has the distinction to give birth to two other premier institutions and both of these are presently deemed university — the Bengal Engineering and Science University (formerly Bengal Engineering College) and Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
The college has a galaxy of stars in its alumni — from politicians, judicial luminaries and intellectuals to film personalities. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, writers Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Bankin Chandra Chattopadhyay, Sukumar Roy, Jibanananda Das, film maker Satyajit Ray, Ashok Kumar, Pramathes Barua, Aparna Sen and journalist Pritish Nandy are all products of this college.
It was raised in the 70’s but got snubbed. In 1884, Professor Bhabatosh Dutta Committee and in 1992, Ashok Mitra Committee recommended autonomy. But all these recommendations were rejected as the CPI(M)-backed West Bengal College University Teachers’ Association (WBCUTA) was against the move.
The issue again raised its head after the Government’s Expert Committee referred for the same in 2006. But the powerful lobby of CPI (M) didn’t allow this to happen. The Buddhadeb government was ready to give limited (sans staff and professors’ selection) autonomy. But, the UGC rules do not stand by such self-determined autonomy. However, the governing body of the college found that under the present rules, the UGC will not allot grant for Presidency College unless it is upgraded to the university level. The governing body, under continuous pressure from the departments took the resolution and sent a report to the chief minister and the higher education department on November 9. It was after this that the chief minister announced his decision on December 16. The proposed bill is likely to be introduced in the state assembly.
With the CPM-backed teachers association WBCUTA opposing the move, it seems difficult for the college to get autonomy. Questioning the right of the governing body, WBCUTA general secretary Shyamal Basak said: “Why was the teachers’ council not consulted before such recommendations? Will the merit level reach the sky if it gets university status?”
In fact, WBCUTA was jolted after St Xaviers’ College and Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission got deemed university status. This has created a sharp division in the CPM hierarchy too.
Currently, it is located on 14.5 acre and its hostels are on 2.30 acre. The college has the distinction to give birth to two other premier institutions and both of these are presently deemed university — the Bengal Engineering and Science University (formerly Bengal Engineering College) and Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
The college has a galaxy of stars in its alumni — from politicians, judicial luminaries and intellectuals to film personalities. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, writers Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Bankin Chandra Chattopadhyay, Sukumar Roy, Jibanananda Das, film maker Satyajit Ray, Ashok Kumar, Pramathes Barua, Aparna Sen and journalist Pritish Nandy are all products of this college.
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