In a move that might lead to fresh tensions between the Raj Bhavan and the State Secretariat in West Bengal, Governor CV Ananda Bose made the announcement of interim vice-chancellors (VCs) for 16 state universities today, September 4.
The governor announced on September 1 that as the chancellor of the state universities, he would be assuming the role of interim vice-chancellor of state universities with vacant VC positions.
These new appointments in 16 state universities come within 72 hours of the announcement, reports IANS.
Before this, the Governor's House issued a notification on Sunday morning, stating that all the staff members of all state universities are answerable first to their chancellor and next, to their vice-chancellor. The notification also said that the state government might give instructions to state university authorities, but these instructions are not binding on them or to their employees.
The West Bengal Women & Child Development and Social Welfare Minister Sashi Panja, while reacting to these appointments, said that the governor is trying to impair the rich academic environment in the state by trying to run a parallel administration in the education sector.
Justifying the decisions taken by the governor, West Bengal BJP spokesman, Samik Bhattacharya, said that this was a necessary step to secure the autonomous nature of the universities and keep them free from political decisions imposed on them by the state government.
