Bengal Guv calls for improvement in university education quality in state, shown black flag

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose was shown black flags by members of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the student wing of the Trinamool Congress.

PTI, Siliguri, Jun 28 , 2023 : West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose was shown black flags by activists of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the student wing of the Trinamool Congress, when his convoy was entering the campus of the University of North Bengal (UNB) in Siliguri on Wednesday. 

The Trinamool Chhatra Parishad members also shouted "go back" slogans, despite the presence of a strong police contingent at the venue. A meeting of the Governor was organized during the day at NBU with Vice-Chancellors of 14 universities in West Bengal. 

As the vehicle of the Governor reached the venue of the meeting, the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad members started a protest by blocking the way of the vehicle of the Governor. Later, they shifted the protest to the administrative block of the university.

They alleged that Bose was "running a parallel administration" from the Raj Bhavan and hence they were protesting against his visit. 

"We are not ready to allow this Governor to hold today's meeting as he is not ready to accept an elected government. How can he do this? He is trying to run a parallel administration from the Raj Bhavan. He is also keeping the government in the dark while appointing the VCs. This cannot go on," a student said. 

They alleged that the Chancellor had appointed Vice-Chancellors illegally in the universities. They called the meeting illegal .The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday said, however, that there was no illegality in the orders issued by the West Bengal Governor appointing interim Vice-Chancellors in11 state-run universities in his capacity as their ex-officio chancellor. The Chancellor had the power to appoint Vice-Chancellors as laid down in relevant enactments.

Meanwhile, the meeting started at the NBU campus in the presence of 12 Vice-Chancellors, including the V.C. of the North Bengal University. 

The Governor said with the help of the state government, the varsities should strive to make Bengal, the educational hub of the country.

"We will strive to achieve the goal of Bengal becoming the educational hub of the nation," he said.

The Governor said the vice-chancellors have the freedom and confidence to work for the betterment of the universities. 

The governor is also the Chancellor of all state-run universities. When contacted a senior police officer said that though nobody was detained or arrested in connection with the demonstration. 

"We are looking into the matter. We are looking into how this breach of security took place," the officer said. The governor is on a four-daytrip to the northern districts of north Bengal.

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Wednesday said his first objective is to bring about qualitative improvement in university education in the state.

     

Bose, who held a meeting with the vice-chancellors of 10 state-run universities at the North Bengal University in Siliguri, said that with the help of the state government, the varsities should strive to make Bengal, the educational hub of the country.

     

"Our first objective is the qualitative improvement of university education in Bengal. Universities in Bengal should be the best in the nation," Bose told reporters after the meeting.

     

He said that the universities will strive together, holding hands with the government, to see that the new generation of Bengal becomes the best in the world.

     

"We will strive to achieve the goal of Bengal becoming the educational hub of the nation," he said.

     

The Governor said the vice-chancellors have the freedom and confidence to work for the betterment of the universities.

     

The governor is also the Chancellor of all state-run universities.

        

Asked about his views after having visited various places which witnessed violence during the nomination filing for the ensuing panchayat elections, Bose said that he has been visiting ground zero and interacting with the victims, their relatives and a cross-section of society.

     

"Let me arrive at a conclusion and then will tell what action I propose to take," he said.

     

Bose visited Bhangore and Canning in South 24 Parganas district, where violence was reported to have taken place during the nominations.