A forum of university teachers’ associations said in a press statement on Friday that the “undemocratic” advisory issued by the higher education department on April 1 should be withdrawn as it threatens to stop academic and administrative activities of the universities.
The forum — Save University, Save Education — demanded that the Rules of 2019, which underpin the advisory, be “repealed”.
The advisory bars the universities from offering promotions to employees and holding meetings of the court/senate/governing board and syndicate/executive council and other bodies of the universities or convocations without the state government’s
approval because the universities are helmed by officiating vice-chancellors appointed
by the governor allegedly bypassing the state government.
The teachers said they would like to appeal to the Supreme Court at the earliest to deliver a ruling on the long-pending case regarding the appointment of full-time VCs in state-aided universities.
The impasse over the appointment of full-time VCs is “hurting the cause of higher education in the state”.
Metro last week reported that the advisory had led to concern about careers among teachers and anxiety among the university administrators about how to go about discharging their responsibilities.
Parthapratim Roy, the secretary of the Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association and a member of the forum, said they are calling the advisory “undemocratic” because this has destroyed whatever was left of the autonomy of the universities.
“The universities cannot hold meetings of the finance committee or any other body on their own. The government is being selective in granting permission. Last week, Gour Banga University was allowed to hold a meeting of the university’s executive council, its highest decision-making body,” said Ray.
“But elsewhere, the authorised VCs, appointed by the governor in his capacity as chancellor of state-aided universities, are being denied permission to hold meetings. This is crippling the universities.”
The executive council of Gour Banga University met on Tuesday to adopt a resolution asking the registrar “not to seal the chamber of the vice-chancellor”, as ordered by the chancellor.
The council also asked professor Rajat Kishore Dey, who was removed as officiating VC by the governor on March 31, to continue as officiating VC, in keeping with an April 1 directive from the higher education department.
But the same department recently asked Calcutta University not to hold meetings of its syndicate, its top decision-making-body, said a member of the forum. CU is headed by Santa Datta, also an officiating VC.
“So as long as the VC toes the line of the state government, there is no bar. This selectivity prompted us to call this advisory undemocratic,” said Sanatan Chattopadhyay, secretary of the Calcutta University Teachers’ Association.
CU is seeking legal opinion on whether it could continue with its career advancement (promotion) scheme for teachers as the advisory has asked the universities to “abstain from violating provisions” of a state government act “in extending CAS Benefit”.
The teachers criticised the chancellor as well.
They said in the press statement: “It (the advisory) will stop even the normal day-to-day academic and administrative activities of universities…. On the other hand, the chancellor is also issuing unforeseen ‘report cards’, directives etc. unilaterally. He is also appointing and removing vice-chancellors (acting) at will, which is equally unacceptable.”
“Both, we believe, are ominous signs for the public-funded higher education system in the state.”
The state government has filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the chancellor’s authority to appoint officiating VCs unilaterally.
“Since the tussle over the appointment of interim VCs has triggered a friction between the state government and the chancellor, which is affecting campuses, we appeal to the court to take steps for the appointment of full-term VCs through a search committee,” said a member of the forum.