West Bengal needs a policy of non-discrimination in University Governance

Recently, in the sector of higher education in West Bengal at the university level, certain policies have been enforced by the dept. of higher education of the state govt. which are highly discriminatory in favour of the new Presidency University ( PU ), established about two years ago. The university was set up by the LF govt. and it passed the Act. The LF was replaced by TMC soon thereafter. The TMC govt. appointed a "Mentor Committee" with extreme enthusiasm for creating a 'World Class' university having cutting-edge standards of teaching-learning processes, research, extension, consultancy and all other aspects which could be thought about.  It  got the Act amended and took steps to make PU functioning. While envisaging international standards for the infant PU, the policy makers completely ignored a similar future for 155 yr. old CU, situated next door, which is recognised as "potential for excellence" by UGC and honoured with highest grade by NAAC. The  Jadavpur University which also boasts of similar recognitions by UGC and NAAC was also ignored while doling out  additional support to the faculty of PU to boost performance.

PU was got rid of the Court/Senate and administered by only the Executive Council while Court/senate remains the highest policy making authority for other state-universities. The faculty of PU was selected with   selection processes different from those followed in sister universities ignoring the UGC Regulations which are binding on any University recognised under Sec.2(f) of UGC Act,1956. The faculty were given enhanced salary compensations in each of the three category of posts  and sanctioned   liberal research grants, sabbatical leave, study leave, additional increments  and other benefits which are not allowed to the faculty of other state-aided universities of West Bengal. Incidentally, these service benefits like research promotion grant, study leave,  allowances other than D.A. and H.R.A., sabbatical leave etc. are a  part of the UGC Regulations of June,2010 relating to revised pay scales of college & university teachers and terms & conditions for maintenance of standards in higher education instituitions. The Regulations were duly published in the Gezette of India on Sept.18,2010. The constitution mandates that the UGC Regulations are binding to the states as education is included in the Concurrent List. Inspite of this statutory law, the state govt. has not accepted the Regulations  other than the revised pay scales for which 80% of the fund is paid by UGC during the XI Plan period. However, these provisions  have been implemented for only the faculty of PU who have just a few months of service experience in this nascent university. It is found that the UGC Regulations have been violated in respect of search committee for appointment of vice-chancellors, selection committees for recruitment of teachers among others.

It has been asserted on behalf the HE dept.that the scarce resources be better pumped to a heritage institute to uplift it to international benchmarks rather than making it available to other teachers, some of whom have the capability to generate research grants on their own from funding agencies and bring sanction of big projects. This   contention is readily palpable as weak, thin and frail. Presidency College is certainly an institute of heritage but not Presidency University (PU) which is an infant being just about two yrs.old. An elected govt. can not discriminate among its own universities but it should formulate a policy to sustain development of each and provide additional support to generate a growth-momentum. Let the teachers of PU compete with their counterparts in various aspects of teaching  and research   by utilising their academic strength, skills and talents. The least the state govt. can do is to encourage each university to perform better and excel in a  level-playing field. It can accept the UGC Regulations of June 2010 in full if is is indeed serious about quality assurance. It can, as a general policy, ask the executive councils of state-universities to reward the teachers who have adequate research output, publications and other indicators of performance   by granting additional increments to them as well as to appoint Professors with higher emoluments in line with UGC Regulations to promote leadership of academic departments.     

Several senior and eminent academicians  have  reported in the media the deep resentment, anguish and frustration engulfing the teachers serving in the state-aided universities in West Bengal, many of whom have achieved excellent benchmarks at national anfd international levels by means of research publications and research projects. They think of being discriminated against. This discriminatory policy will severly impact  the growth and development of university-education in West Bengal.