Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, November 1
The state cabinet on Wednesday decided to defer the agenda for creating a pro vice-chancellor post for Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Shibpur.
BESU has been selected by the Central government to be upgraded to an Institute of National Importance (INI) and a bill in this regard is slated to be tabled in parliament on November 15. If BESU succeeds in becoming an INI, the Centre will control the working of the institution, though the state government will have some say in it. Thus, the state decided not to go ahead with giving BESU its long-standing demand of a pro vice-chancellor because it was felt that the move might send the wrong signal to the Centre.
Some in the state government felt the move might make the Central government feel that the state is not ready to hand over the university to the Centre. Another reason behind deferring the creation of the pro V-C’s post till the next cabinet meeting is that if BESU gets INI status, then it would have the IIT mode of governance. And in all probability, the head of the institution will be the director instead of the vice-chancellor. The Centre might not consider the option of awarding the director’s post to the present vice-chancellor. The same might also happen with the pro vice-chancellor’s position.
BESU had asked for the pro vice-chancellor’s post, because the university needs a person who would look after the day-to-day academic activities of the university, as its present vice-chancellor N.R. Banerjea other responsibilities.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com
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