Calcutta University, headless, yet to announce decision on NEP

Higher secondary results in West Bengal will be announced this week but the over 150 colleges under the University of Calcutta are still clueless about whether they will be adopting the National Education Policy (NEP) from this academic year.

Higher secondary results in West Bengal will be announced this week but the over 150 colleges under the University of Calcutta are still clueless about whether they will be adopting the National Education Policy (NEP) from this academic year.

The university, understaffed and running without a full-time Vice-Chancellor and full-time deans for several months now, is yet to make an announcement regarding the NEP — unlike several other prestigious institutions in the city, such as St. Xavier’s University, that have already uploaded online application forms for admission to courses under the new system.

“We, the principals of the affiliated colleges of the University of Calcutta, are waiting for the decision of the university. We will follow whatever the decision is. But unfortunately, there is no decision yet, most probably because there is no Vice-Chancellor, no senate; there is a lack of decision-makers… The university is really in a sorry state,” Shyamalendu Chatterjee, president, All Bengal Principals’ Council (Calcutta University Committee).

“Higher secondary results will be out on May 24. The university should immediately inform the affiliated colleges about its stand on the NEP. If it wants to introduce NEP from this July, it should publish the modalities of the first-year admission, subject combinations, and mention the major and minor subjects that should be introduced in the coming first semester session,” Dr. Chatterjee said.

Prof. Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee was the last full-time V-C of the university. She first served from August 2017 to August 2021. When she was reappointed for another four years, the then Governor (and also the Chancellor) Jagdeep Dhankhar had refused to sign the file, saying the reappointment should be recommended, as per norms, by a selection committee. Mr. Dhankhar returned the file thrice, following which the State government issued a notification that dispensed with the need for the Chancellor’s approval in the appointment, reappointment and extension of service of Vice-Chancellors. In September 2022, the Calcutta High Court set aside her reappointment, saying only the Chancellor had the authority to appoint/reappoint a V-C.

Following this, Prof. Ashish Chatterjee had been serving as the acting Vice-Chancellor. His term ended last month. “We are waiting for the appointment of new V-C. Regarding the NEP, preparation is going on in full swing,” Prof. Chatterjee told The Hindu.

The affiliated colleges, however, are yet to hear about the preparation. They are as unsure about the NEP as they are about when a new V-C would be appointed. “If the NEP is implemented, the structure of every course will change, with new components being included in the curriculum. All this needs a lot of planning. But so far, we haven’t heard a word from the university,” said a professor teaching at a Kolkata college.