West Bengal Assembly passes Bill reconstituting search committee for appointment of V-Cs

 The Minister said that the State government move is in line with the changes made in the search committees for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor central universities.

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Friday passed The West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which reconstitutes the search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of Vice Chancellors of the universities in the State. 

The search-cum-selection committee will now have nominees of the Chancellor, Chief Minister, University Grants Commission (UGC), State government and the Chairman, West Bengal State Council of Higher Education. Earlier, the search committees had three nominees which included nominees of the Chancellor, State government and the University. In the year 2018 it was made mandatory to include the UGC nominee in the selection committee for the appointment of Vice-Chancellors. 

State’s Education Minister Bratya Basu, who tabled the Bill in the State Assembly, said that the move would bring in more transparency in the appointment of Vice-Chancellors and resolve the imbroglio relating to the appointment of Vice Chancellors in the State. The Minister said that the State government move is in line with the changes made in the search committees for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor central universities. The legislation changes the time period for appointment of the Vice Chancellor from a period of six months to one year. 

On May 12, the West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, was enacted by the State government to bring in changes in the search-cum-selection committee for the appointment of Vice Chancellors. The legislation comes at a time when the State government and Raj Bhavan are at loggerheads over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors. Governor C.V. Ananda Bose had appointed about 15 persons as officiating Vice Chancellors To State run universities without allegedly consulting with the State government. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators opposed the Bill and sought a division of votes on the floor of the House. The Bill was passed with about 120 members supporting it and 51 MLAs opposing the legislation. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that legislation was passed by brute force of majority and expressed hope that the Governor will not give ascent to the Bill.

Later in the day, a team of 10 MLAs of the BJP, led by party’s chief whip Manoj Tigga, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and urged him not to accord his ascent to the Bill. The West Bengal Assembly in 2022 had passed several legislations replacing the Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of the Universities. The Raj Bhavan has not accorded consent to these legislations.