1 week ago
BJP Lawmakers Named College Heads, TMC Challenges Political Interference Pledge
West Bengal’s government chose leaders for the governing bodies of 247 colleges.
Most of the people chosen are local lawmakers from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Some state ministers were also selected for these roles.
The Trinamool Congress said this goes against a promise to keep politics out of educational institutions.
Government officials said elected representatives can still help manage colleges without turning them into political arenas.
The higher education minister said candidates were screened before being chosen.
A second list covering about 200 more colleges has not yet been published.
Officials said academicians and social workers will lead those institutions.
The Higher Education Department appointed presidents to governing bodies of 247 colleges in West Bengal.
Nearly 99% of the colleges in the first list have local BJP MLAs or MPs as governing-body presidents.
Several state ministers, including Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay and Kaushik Choudhury, were also appointed to college bodies.
TMC leaders accused the government of contradicting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s promise to reduce political interference in education.
Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay said another 200 colleges will have academicians and social workers appointed to lead their governing bodies.
- Who
- The West Bengal government, BJP lawmakers and ministers, and Trinamool Congress critics are involved.
- What
- Presidents were appointed to the governing bodies of 247 colleges, with nearly 99% reportedly being local BJP MLAs or MPs.
- Where
- Across West Bengal, including East Calcutta Girls' College and Raiganj B.Ed College.
- When
- The Higher Education Department issued the notification on Friday; the criticism was reported on Sunday.
- Why
- The government said elected representatives can have a role in college administration, while TMC leaders said the appointments contradict a pledge to reduce political interference.
TMC Criticism
Government Defense
Political interference in colleges
TMC Criticism
TMC leaders said appointing BJP lawmakers and ministers to college governing bodies contradicts Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s promise to free educational institutions from political interference.
Government Defense
Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay said the appointments do not mean colleges will become political grounds and argued that elected local representatives can have an administrative role.
Consistency between policy and appointments
TMC Criticism
Ritbrata Bandyopadhyay and Kunal Ghosh said the government’s actions did not match its stated policy, with Ghosh calling it a dual policy intended for public consumption.
Government Defense
Chattopadhyay said candidates were screened before appointment and that the first list concerns colleges where graduate BJP MLAs and MPs were selected.
Who should lead governing bodies
TMC Criticism
TMC critics questioned the use of politicians to head college bodies.
Government Defense
The minister said academicians and social workers will be appointed to head the governing bodies of another 200 colleges in the next list.
Key facts
- Colleges in first list
- 247
- Political appointments
- Nearly 99% of the colleges reportedly have local BJP MLAs or MPs as governing-body presidents.
- Additional colleges
- A further list covering about 200 colleges has yet to be published.
- Minister appointed at East Calcutta Girls' College
- Health Minister Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay
- Minister appointed at Raiganj B.Ed College
- Minister of State for Fire Services Kaushik Choudhury
- Government position
- Local elected representatives can have a role in college administration without making colleges political arenas.
Quotes
Jagannath Chattopadhyay
West Bengal higher education minister who defended the appointments
“I had said that we would not allow colleges to become political grounds. This does not mean that local elected representatives will have no role in the administration of colleges.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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