6 hrs ago
Academics Urge Governor to Reject Inter-University Transfer Bill
A group of academics is asking West Bengal’s Governor not to approve a new university Bill.
The Bill would allow staff to move between state-aided universities.
The academics say each university has its own courses, research plans and facilities.
Moving teachers could make it harder for students to get proper guidance.
Research projects could also suffer if important experts are moved.
Laboratories and libraries might not be used as effectively as before.
The academics say older universities already have many empty staff positions.
They believe newer universities need planned hiring, infrastructure and funding instead.
They also worry the Bill could give the government too much control over universities.
Academics urged West Bengal Governor R N Ravi not to approve the 2026 amendment Bill.
The Bill would allow transfers of teaching and non-teaching staff between state-aided universities.
They warned transfers could disrupt academic programmes, research projects and faculty balance.
They said research scholars, laboratories, libraries and grant-funded projects could be affected.
The academics called for planned recruitment and funding for newer universities instead of transfers.
- Who
- A group of academics, including former university leaders and professors, addressed West Bengal Governor and Chancellor R N Ravi.
- What
- They urged him not to approve the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which would enable staff transfers between state-aided universities.
- Where
- West Bengal, India.
- When
- The Bill was passed by the West Bengal Assembly on September 10; the representation was reported on September 20.
- Why
- The academics said transfers could harm teaching, research, staffing balance, research funding, institutional functioning and academic autonomy.
Key facts
- Bill
- West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026
- Assembly passage
- Passed by the West Bengal Assembly on September 10
- Proposed mechanism
- The Chancellor, in consultation with the state government, could transfer staff between state-aided universities for administrative reasons.
- Transfer terms
- Transferred employees could retain their lien at the original university or opt for permanent absorption at the new university.
- Academic concerns
- The academics said transfers could disrupt teaching programmes, research projects and the faculty balance of both institutions.
- Research concerns
- They said specialised supervisors, principal investigators and interdisciplinary projects could be affected.
- Alternative proposal
- They called for planned recruitment, adequate funding and stronger infrastructure for newer universities.
Quotes
The academics who signed the representation
A group of academics expressing concern about the proposed university faculty-transfer provision
“Any such move would spell the end of academic autonomy. All the universities would be brought under centralised administrative control. They could no longer develop freely, each according to its bent.”
thestatesman.com
“In short, it is our strong opinion that this change, if implemented, would severely affect the functioning of the older and more established universities without material benefit to the new ones.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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