West Bengal's University Authority Clash: Governor vs. State Government

In a fresh twist to the ongoing feud over higher education governance in West Bengal, Governor CV Ananda Bose has announced his intention to seek the Supreme Court's guidance on whether the chancellor or the state government should wield the ultimate authority over the state's universities.

The governor's decision follows a recent meeting at the Raj Bhavan with nine vice chancellors from state-run universities. The meeting aimed to address pressing concerns in the higher education sector, but faced significant absenteeism, allegedly due to obstructions or hostile conditions as reported by the VCs.

Governor Bose highlighted the significance of clarifying the roles of the chancellor and the state government. He stressed the need for a legal determination on the matter, noting the meeting's broad agenda spanning digital reforms, manpower gaps, NEP 2020 implementation, and awareness initiatives on cybersecurity and drug addiction.

(With inputs from agencies.)