Reviving Bengal's Academic Legacy: A Call to Action

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticizes West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the state's declining academic institutions and calls for their revival. He cites a UGC report outlining governance failures at Jadavpur University, sparking a debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi joining the call for revival, which Banerjee contested strongly.

Devdiscourse News Desk | New Delhi | Updated: 25-04-2026 11:42 IST | Created: 25-04-2026 11:42 IST

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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has challenged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the declining state of academic institutions under her governance. Pradhan accuses the chief minister of being more perturbed by revival demands than addressing the actual decay.

The minister references findings from a UGC committee on Jadavpur University, pointing to severe administrative failures, ineffective governance, and a lack of accountability. Prime Minister Modi supports this view, urging the restoration of West Bengal's premier institutions to their former glory, a stance Banerjee strongly opposes.

In contrast, Banerjee criticized Modi's comments as undemocratic, defending these institutions' international reputations. As her party faces claims of damaging these colleges' prestige, the political scuffle highlights deeper allegations of corruption and academic deterioration in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)