Latest news with #IshitaMukhopadhyay
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Bengal colleges fear erosion of autonomy as govt. demands bank account details for aid
Over 450 government-aided colleges in West Bengal fear erosion of autonomy after the State government directed them to submit their bank account and fixed deposit (FD) details to receive financial aid from the government. The institutions also believe that the move is a financial attack on them. 'The Finance Department has introduced the Fund Information System (FIS) portal from the financial year 2025-26, and it is mandatory to provide bank account details and FD details to get any financial assistance from the State government,' said the Department of Higher Education in a circular issued earlier this week. No official explanation has been given about the move, and principals of these aided colleges have refrained from commenting. However, some academicians are expressing their concern over the matter, and they feel that the government might 'dig into their resources'. 'The State government is reducing the funds for education in all sectors. Recruitment of teachers has been halted. Research funds are crunched. Universities are autonomous bodies that have raised resources for a long time through their research, advocacy and industry-institute partnership programmes,' said Ishita Mukhopadhyay, a professor of economics at the University of Calcutta. Stating that several teachers' associations had expressed their anger against the government's move, she said, 'This move is just to siphon off these resources to the government for no reason. This is an attack on the financial and academic autonomy of state educational institutions. This will further deprive the students, who are already suffering from delayed admission and lack of funds.' Meanwhile, an associate professor with a Kolkata college who did not want to be identified said, 'The State government is already taking half of the total tuition fees collected in a year. This notification makes us believe that the corpus fund of colleges in the form of FDs and bank balances can be taken away. The colleges need such funds for various development projects like construction of new buildings, renovation and repair, extensions of existing buildings, conduct of events, particularly when the UGC hardly extends any financial help as it did before till the 12th Plan.'
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
West Bengal demands to see bank statements of aided colleges; institutions see move as blow to autonomy
West Bengal has asked all State Government-aided colleges — about 450 of them — to provide their bank account and fixed deposit details, a move that has not gone down well with those institutions which fear that their money will now be taken away. 'The Finance Department has introduced Fund Information System (FIS) portal from financial year 2025-26 and it is mandatory to provide bank account details and FD details to get any financial assistance from the State Government,' said a communication from the Department of Higher Education circulated earlier this week. The colleges are not uncomfortable with the tone of the letter, that sharing account details was necessary in order to receive financial assistance from the State Government, something that they feel is an attack on their autonomy. 'The State Government is reducing the funds for education in all sectors. Recruitment of teachers has been halted. Research funds are crunched. Universities are autonomous bodies that have raised resources for a long time through their research, advocacy and industry-institute partnership programmes. This move is just to siphon off these resources to the government for no reason. This is an attack on financial and academic autonomy of state educational institutions. This will further deprive the students, who are already suffering from delayed admission and lack of funds,' said Ishita Mukhopadhyay, a well-known professor of economics at the University of Calcutta, adding that several teachers' associations had already expressed their anger against the move. An Associate Orofessor with a Kolkata college who did not want to be identified said: 'The State Government is already taking half of the total tuition fees collected in a year. This notification makes us believe that the corpus fund of colleges in form of fixed deposits and bank balances can be taken away by. The colleges need such funds for various development projects like construction of new buildings, renovation and repair, extensions of existing buildings, conduct of events, particularly when the UGC hardly extends any financial help like it did before till the 12th Plan.'
The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
With no takers for college seats, West Bengal extends last date for applications
The West Bengal government has extended by two weeks the last date for filing of applications through the centralised portal for admission to colleges that are run and aided by it. This is a decision that many in the teaching community see as an indication that the number of students seeking to pursue higher education in the State might be dropping. On June 12, the State government had set July 1 as the late date for filing of applications for undergraduate courses but now the same has been extended to July 15. No reason was given in the circular for the extension, though Education Minister Bratya Basu, in a recent post, said the decision was taken on the instruction of the Chief Minister for the convenience of students. According to him, as many as 3.2 lakh students had registered in the portal so far, a figure that, according to many teachers, is not impressive, if not low. As it is, there was a long delay in the opening of the centralised portal — which was introduced only last year — because West Bengal's list of communities eligible for reservation under the OBC category is caught in a legal tangle and a hearing is expected at the end of this month. 'Students are definitely moving out to other States. Those who can afford to send their children outside the State are sending them. Already there is a delay. Those wanting to join colleges, how long will they wait? Court never put a bar on admissions. No explanation was given why the admission was delayed,' Ishita Mukhopadhyay, professor of economics at the University of Calcutta, told The Hindu. 'Adverse ratio' 'There has been no recruitment of teachers in colleges. Students are already aware of the adverse student-teacher ratio. This is also another reason for low admission. Moreover, law and order in colleges is under question mark after the incidents at R.G. Kar Hospital and South Calcutta Law College. Nobody can deny that goons control these institutions and the goons are powerful. Lastly, the employment scenario is grim, so youth are thinking twice before taking admission here,' Prof. Mukhopadhyay said. There was a time, until not very long ago, when young students took pride in joining institutions of higher education in West Bengal, particularly Kolkata, but of late many parents are keen that their children go to cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, even Bhubaneswar. 'By this time last year, our English department had received close to 1,000 applications. This year we have hardly got 350. Obviously, colleges in West Bengal appear to be failing to attract students because most of them are facing an unusually large number of vacancies for undergraduate courses this year. Why else would they extend the last date for filing of applications?' asked a professor, who wanted to remain anonymous and also did not want to name her college. Another professor seeking anonymity said, 'Yes, the desire to study outside West Bengal could be a probable reason for colleges still showing large vacancies. Many students are prioritising vocational training or immediate employment opportunities over traditional degree programmes nowadays. There could also be a mismatch between student interests and available courses. Additionally, the delay in the opening of the centralised admission portal might have also contributed to the huge vacancies, with many students taking admission elsewhere.'
