The higher education department has asked state-aided universities not to convene meetings of their decision-making bodies or hold convocations “without the approval of the state government”.
The department issued the advisory days after a state-aided university held its convocation apparently defying instructions from the state government.
“Since the universities are under an interim arrangement, any action of the universities should strictly abide by the extant Act and rules. It has been noticed that various steps have been taken by the Universities in violation of extant Act and rules,” says the advisory signed by a special secretary of the department.
“...the universities are holding meetings of the Court/Senate/Governing board and Syndicate/Executive Council and other bodies of the universities as well as convocations without the approval of the state government in violation of Rule 3(5) of the West Bengal State Universities (Terms and Conditions of Service of Vice-Chancellors and Manner and Procedure of Official Communication) Rules, 2019.”
Rule 3(5) says: “The person holding charge of the office of the vice-chancellor shall only discharge to do the routine functions of the university but shall not hold any meeting of the Senate, Court/ Governing board or the syndicate/ executive council of the
university without prior permission of the state Government.”
“…all notice regarding convocation shall be brought to the notice of the department… All proposals for conferring any honorary degree to any person shall be placed before the department for concurrence.”
So long as the rules are in force, the universities cannot act on their own, said an official of the department.
The advisory has been sent to the registrars of all state-aided universities.
Kazi Nazrul University in Asansol held its convocation last Wednesday despite being told by the department not to hold the event because the university did not have a full-term vice-chancellor.
The department has also cited the model code of conduct, in force since the declaration of the Lok Sabha election dates on March 16, to justify the advisory.
The advisory says: “While the Model Code of Conduct is in force... it is requested to strictly adhere to such code of conduct in so far as its applications to the functioning of the universities to avoid future legal complications.”
“It is again reiterated that the universities in the state of West Bengal are funded by the state government,” the advisory says.
All state-aided universities in Bengal are being helmed by “authorised” (officiating) VCs, who have been appointed by the governor — the ex-officio chancellor of the state-aided universities — allegedly without consulting the higher education department.
Referring to the authorised VCs, Monday’s advisory says: “You are aware that consequent upon issuance of the writ of Quo Warranto… all the state-aided universities are now being run by the persons discharging the functions of the office of the vice-chancellors who are authorised by the Hon’ble Chancellor of the University.”
“It is pertinent to mention here that such authorisation is challenged vide SLP (special leave petition) bearing No. 17403 of 2023, which is pending before hon’ble Supreme Court.”
Governor C.V. Ananda Bose had appointed the authorised VCs, allegedly without consulting the state government, in June last year. The state government filed the petition in August.
The apex court had said in an interim order on October 6 that those appointed as authorised VCs “would receive pay or perks not of a VC but those commensurate with their previous posts (as professor)”.