University officials not mandated to take orders from the State govt says West Bengal Governor

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has issued a notification to all University officials of the State, stating they are not mandated to take orders directly from the government. The notification has sparked a fresh controversy between the State government and Raj Bhawan over administration of State-run Universities.

The notification has stoked up a fresh controversy amidst the ongoing tussle between the State government and Raj Bhawan as far as administration of State run Universities is concerned

West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has issued a notification to all University officials of the State stating that they are not “mandated” to take orders directly from the government.

“The officers of the University are to execute the orders issued by the V-C (Vice-Chancellor) and they are not mandated to take orders directly from the government or to execute it without the knowledge and consent of the V-C,” a notification by the office of the Governor said.

The notification dated September 2 states that in terms of the West Bengal State Universities Acts, the Vice-Chancellor shall be principal executive officer of the Universities and all the other authorities of the Universities shall act in accordance with the directions of the respective V-Cs.

“The Registrars and other officers have no independent authority to function circumventing the V-Cs,” the notification said. The notification has stoked up a fresh controversy amidst the ongoing tussle between the State government and Raj Bhawan as far as administration of State-run Universities is concerned. None of the 31 State-run Universities have full term Vice-Chancellors and the Governor has appointed academicians as officiating Vice Chancellors to administer these institutions.

Earlier this week, another notification by the Raj Bhavan stated that the Governor has decided to discharge the duties of interim vice-chancellors (V-Cs) of all the varsities where full-time V-Cs are yet to be appointed.

On Saturday the Governor said that his decision to assume the role of Vice-Chancellor was only in the interest of students who were not getting certificates. The development has sparked strong reactions from the State government with State’s Education Minister Bratya Basu stating that it will take legal opinion over the Raj Bhavan’s move.