Decks cleared for appointment of permanent VCs in six Bengal varsities: Official

Kolkata, Oct 7 (PTI) Decks have been cleared to appoint full-time vice-chancellors of six state universities in West Bengal, which remained without regular heads for over two years, a senior official of the higher education department said on Tuesday.

Interim VCs appointed by the governor have been at the helm during that period.

While there was consensus over names for being appointed as permanent VCs of eight universities on October six afternoon, differences between Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister's Office surfaced at the last minute about the possible occupants in North Bengal University and Raiganj University, the official told PTI.

The initial move to appoint eight VCs followed a consensus reached between the state government and Governor C V Ananda Bose before the Supreme Court.

The official said that a Supreme Court bench was handling the matter of appointing permanent VCs in 17 universities, based on recommendations made by a committee led by former Chief Justice of India UU Lalit.

"Decks have finally been cleared for the appointment of VCs of six universities with no impediment as a consensus has been reached between the state government and Governor C V Ananda Bose before the apex court," the official said.

However, names of Arnab Sen, proposed for Raiganj University, and of Om Prakash Mishra for North Bengal University have been annulled pending further discussions following objections raised before the SC bench, the official said.

The long-standing stalemate over appointments arose from differences between Raj Bhavan and the state government, with the governor earlier appointing interim VCs without consulting the state, drawing criticism from the Mamata Banerjee-led administration.

According to the official, academic Ashutosh Ghosh will be the vice-chancellor of the University of Calcutta, while former Jadavpur University registrar and pro-VC Chiranjib Bhattacharya to assume its top post.

The other four academicians who will become vice-chancellors are Ashis Bhattacharya (Gour Banga University), Uday Bandyopadhyay (Kazi Nazrul University), Chandradipa Ghosh (Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University) and Abu Taleb (Biswa Bangla University).

"It is only a matter of days before Raj Bhavan notifies the names of permanent VCs of the six universities factoring legal issues and SC's stand on the matter," the official said.

He said that the names of VCs of 11 other state universities are expected to be finalised in the next few days. PTI SUS NN