Bill passed to raise retirement age of V-Cs in 2 state agri universities

MP | 17 June 2022 | Kolkata: The West Bengal Krishi Visyavidyalaya Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022 was passed in the state Assembly on Thursday with the objective of raising the superannuation age of the vice-chancellors of the universities from 65 to 70 years. 

While 119 TMC MLAs voted in favour of the Bill, 53 voted against and one (ISF) legislator abstained during voting which was conducted through head count by the Speaker. T

here was drama during the counting as initially when voting was held electronically the display board showed 120 votes in favour of the Bill and 52 against it. 

The BJP contested the figure and the revised result through head count that showed 119 in favour and 53 against. 

The Speaker officially announced the figure through head count. Interestingly, during electronic voting it was found that two absentees—leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MLA Mihir Goswami—who were not present in the Assembly on Thursday have also voted. 

The TMC MLAs accused the BJP of false voting however, the Speaker ruled that it might be because of pressing the wrong button during electronic voting which the legislators were not accustomed to. 

State Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said that in 90 per cent universities of different states and in central universities too, the vice-chancellor's age limit has already been raised to 70. 

"The guidelines of the UGC are also in favour of raising the age of vice-chancellors. We have noticed that many have the capacity to take classes after 65 years because of his excellence and depth in learning, so why should he be not allowed to act as V-C," Chattopadhyay argued. 

The West Bengal Krishi Visyavidyalaya Laws Amendment Bill 2022 is aimed at raising the retirement age of V-Cs of Bidhanchandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya and Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyala from 65 years to 70 years. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/bill-passed-to-raise-retirement-age-of-v-cs-in-2-state-agri-universities-482389