Archive · 20 Aug 2026
North Bengal University Convocation Delay Leaves Thousands Awaiting Certificates
North Bengal University has not held a graduation ceremony since October 2018.
Because of this, many students have not received their original certificates.
More than three lakh undergraduate students are waiting, along with postgraduate students and PhD recipients.
These documents are often needed to apply for jobs or further studies.
The university has also been without a permanent vice-chancellor for over two-and-a-half years.
Other officials are keeping routine work going.
However, some important decisions cannot be completed without a permanent head.
University officials blame the leadership vacancy.
A faculty member says the wider education system has failed to solve the problem.
More than three lakh undergraduate students, nearly 10,000 postgraduate students and about 300 PhD recipients are awaiting original certificates.
North Bengal University has not held a convocation since October 2018, which officials say is required before certificates can be issued.
The university has lacked a permanent vice-chancellor for more than two-and-a-half years.
The delay is affecting students and researchers facing higher-education and employment deadlines for submitting academic documents.
NBU officials continue routine administration, but decisions involving the university court, council, PhD matters and teachers remain pending.
- Who
- More than three lakh undergraduate students, nearly 10,000 postgraduate students and around 300 PhD recipients at North Bengal University and its affiliated colleges are affected.
- What
- Students and researchers are awaiting original academic certificates because the university has not held a convocation since October 2018.
- When
- The last convocation was held in October 2018; the university has been without a permanent vice-chancellor for more than two-and-a-half years.
- Where
- North Bengal University and its 52 affiliated colleges across Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Kalimpong, parts of North Dinajpur and Cooch Behar.
- Why
- The university says certificates cannot be issued under its statute without a convocation, while the prolonged absence of a permanent vice-chancellor has delayed key institutional decisions.
University officials
Faculty critics
Cause of the certificate delay
University officials
Joint registrar Swapan Rakshit attributed the crisis to the absence of a permanent vice-chancellor and said other officials were handling only routine work.
Faculty critics
A faculty member described the situation as a failure of the education system, saying communications to the state higher education department and the governor's office had produced no solution.
Effect of acting administration
University officials
The acting registrar, joint registrar and other officials are keeping the university functioning through routine administrative work.
Faculty critics
Faculty members say important decisions remain pending for months because the university lacks a permanent head.
- Affected undergraduates
- More than 300,000
- Affected postgraduates
- Nearly 10,000
- Affected PhD recipients
- Around 300
- Last convocation
- October 2018
- Affiliated colleges
- 52
- Permanent vice-chancellor vacancy
- More than two-and-a-half years
- Pending areas
- University court, council, PhD-related decisions and teacher matters