Hills set to have 'Darjeeling' varsity

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Sep 03, 2018 Darjeeling: The Bengal government has in principle decided to rename Greenfield University as Darjeeling University, a move which is expected to be welcomed by a large section of the hill community.

The Assembly had passed a bill on July 31 to set up Greenfield University at Jogighat in Mungpoo, about 30km from here.

Soon after the bill was tabled, sections of the hill community were of the opinion that the varsity should be so named that it would strike a chord with local people. Darjeeling MLA Amar Singh Rai had requested the state government to rename the institution as Darjeeling University when the bill was discussed in the Assembly.

Sources said the government had taken note of the demand and decided to rename the varsity as Darjeeling University. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will lay the foundation stone of the varsity from Chowrasta here on September 5. Since the varsity bill has the name Greenfield University, the name will be technically changed only after an amendment is tabled in the Assembly.

The demand for a university in the hills was first raised in 1955 with Darjeeling municipality adopting a resolution and placing it before the state government. The North Bengal University was set up in 1962 and even though it came up in Darjeeling district, it was located near Siliguri.

However, the demand for a university in the Darjeeling hills has always been there because of the fact that hills have an academic calendar different from the plains.

When the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration memorandum of agreement was signed in 2011, there was a mention of taking up the issue of setting up a central university in the hills. The Centre hasn't, however acted on this issue.

Meanwhile, the students of Darjeeling Government College have taken to WhatsApp requesting Mamata Banerjee to visit their college during her visit to Darjeeling starting from Monday.

The students have maintained that the college, which is the only institution in the hills that offers post-graduate courses in botany, zoology and Nepali is plagued with problems.

Many of the departments have been shifted to the boys' hostel as a building housing physics department is unstable following an earthquake a few years ago. The boys hostel is also not functioning. There is dearth of teachers and the college infrastructure is not up to the mark, the students have alleged.