State-run Universities in Bengal Under Suspicion of Manipulation: Claim 12 Teachers' Associations
Kolkata - A group of 12 university teacher associations have accused the West Bengal government of meddling with the functioning of state-run higher educational institutions. The groups claim the state government is forcing the implementation of Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) on the universities, which they believe will lead to a loss of autonomy and financial rights.
The accusations come from prestigious associations like the Jadavpur University Teachers Association, Calcutta University Teachers Association, and Teachers of Presidency University. They argue that HRMS will systematically change the basic structures of universities, threatening their autonomy.
According to JUTA general secretary Partha Pratim Roy, the Higher Education Department plans to appoint an officer to act as the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) for each university, which contradicts existing university acts and statutes. This move, he claims, could strip universities of their rights to manage salary, promotions, retirement benefits, and employee perks like PF and gratuity. Furthermore, if the government withholds an employee's salary for any reason, the university authority allegedly won't have a say in the matter.
If the Higher Education Department moves forward with this policy, the teacher associations have threatened to initiate sustained demonstrations and legal actions to seek justice for university employees.
Background
Allegations of political interference in university administration and appointments have been a recurring issue in West Bengal. Frequent conflicts between the state government and governors over appointment authority and policy control have impacted the educational sector, potentially hindering reforms and curriculum modernization.
Several controversies, including the Supreme Court's annulment of 25,753 teacher appointments in West Bengal schools due to a "vitiated and tainted" selection process, have strained financial resources and eroded trust in the education system.
This ongoing climate of political interference and legal turmoil raises concerns about the operational autonomy and financial stability of West Bengal’s higher education sector.
- Rabindra, a respected voice in the West Bengal educational circle, expressed his concern about the government's interference in state universities, citing the potential loss of autonomy and financial rights.
- The teacher associations, including Jadavpur University Teachers Association, Calcutta University Teachers Association, and Teachers of Presidency University, are voicing their disapproval over the implementation of Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS) in state-run higher educational institutions.
- The government's policy to disbursing salaries and employee benefits through an appointed Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) for each university, as per the Higher Education Department, is being criticized for contradicting existing university acts and statutes.
- The teacher associations have emphasized that this policy could lead to the stripping of universities' rights to manage salary, promotions, retirement benefits, and employee perks like PF and gratuity.
- In response to this policy, the teacher associations have threatened to engage in sustained demonstrations and legal actions, aiming to safeguard the rights and interests of university employees.
- The recurring issues of political interference in university administration and appointments, coupled with controversies surrounding financial resources and the selection process, have raised significant concerns about the operational autonomy and financial stability of West Bengal's higher education sector.
