West Bengal Assembly Passes Bill on Inter-University Staff Transfers

PTI, September 10, 2026, Kolkata: The West Bengal Assembly on Thursday passed by voice vote an amendment Bill that empowers the government to transfer teaching and non-teaching staffers from one state university to another.

The West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was approved by the state cabinet on September 8. It seeks to add one provision in Section 14A of the existing 2017 Act, which will allow inter-university transfer of both teaching and non-teaching employees as and when required, officials said.

The Bill was tabled by Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay during a special session of the state Assembly.

Addressing the Assembly during the tabling of the Bill, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that through the proposed legislation, "so-called pundits" will be sent to newly established institutions which would be benefitted.

"The Bill will balance institutes' autonomy and accountability towards the government... It would not impact PhD supervision and projects... Those unhappy with the provisions of the Bill are welcome to quit their jobs," he said.

Asked what prompted the decision to amend the existing Act, Adhikari had earlier said: "This is important. There is a ground reality that necessitates the Bill."

"Several experienced professors will go to the new universities. They will guide these universities on what the infrastructure should be like, how classes can be conducted and how they can be turned into centres of excellence," he added.

The "experienced teachers" will be transferred to new universities established in "places like Jhargram and Cooch Behar and will ensure the exchange of human resources", the Chief Minister had said.

Adhikari on Thursday launched an unprecedented attack on Jadavpur University's Left-leaning teachers and students, stating sympathisers of "anti-national forces" on the campus require to be administered "strict medicines".

The Chief Minister directed a sharp barb at those "unhappy" with government service conditions and the proposed transfer mechanism, asking them to quit their jobs.

"Those who are facing much difficulty with these conditions of government jobs are welcome to quit. Hang a shoulder bag, become a full-time worker and sell Ganashakti (CPIM mouthpiece). Once in a while you can also go around the New Market area collecting donations with a tin container in your hand," he said.

"Those who give appointment also retain the right to set the conditions of appointment. The appointees have no such right," he asserted.

Speaking of the rationale behind the transfer provisions, Adhikari said faculty and employees could be deployed to newer or weaker universities to strengthen those institutions.

The Chief Minister said Bengal wasn't the first to implement such a transfer policy, and stated that the provision already exists in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

"This process has also begun in Gujarat and Bihar. We got this done before them," Adhikari said.