In July 2024, the Supreme Court intervened to resolve the ongoing distance between the State and the Governor to create a Search Committee, chaired by the former CJIlit. File | Photo Credit: PTI
Some of the academics from West Bengal have questioned the presence of some members in the selection panel for the appointment of the Vice -President (VC) for about 15 universities in the state.
Academics protested against participation in the Ramesh Chandra panel, former VC Maharaja Suujmal Brij University, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, who faces charges of Štěp, and also retired of the Indian administrative service (IAS) SK Pattanayak, which serves in Raj Bhavan.
Professor Chandra was recently removed by Rajasthan Governor for alleged abuse of his position and embezzlement. It is part of the selection panel, which is likely to choose VC Maulan Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Kalkata, said sources at the Ministry of Higher Education in West Bengal.
“There are several serious charges against Prof. Ramesh Chandra and these accusations are subject to investigation. We do not want these people to be part of the selection panel because it would undermine the entire process of selecting the vice -chairman,” said Professor of the Maitra from the University of Raiganj in West Uttar Dinajpur. “It was not clear why Prof. Chandra served on the panel or who he represented,” said prof. Maitra.
In the related development, Manas Kabi, General Secretary of the Council of All Bengal, wrote a letter to the main judge of Indian Justice (Retd.) UU Lalit, chairman of the selection panel.
In the letter of prof. Kabi said that Mr. Pattanayak was included in the list of experts in the selection committee, “maybe without being aware of the fact that he left as an official Raj Bhavan (and is), who served since his retirement”.
“Now that the process has re-tarted, we Humbly Request You to Reviews of Shri Pattanayak’s Inclusion In the Selection Committee for Recomnds Candidates for the Post of Vice-Chancellors in Sanskrit College and University and Netaji Subhas Open University. Working for the Hon’Ble Chancellor, HIS Impartiality in the Process Remains Open to Question, Since the Hon’Ble Chief Ministry and Hon’ble Chancellor HAVE took various positions on the selection of candidates, as revealed in the Supreme Court’s order of August 2025, ”he said.
Over the past few years, the government of West Bengal and Raj Bhavan at a collision course in the appointment of the V-CS. The government of West Bengal has submitted a petition of a special holiday that questioned the judgment of the Calcution High Court, which confirmed the provisional appointment of VC for state universities conducted by CV Governor Ananda Bose.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court intervened to resolve the ongoing distance between the State and the Governor to create a Search Committee, chaired by the former CJIlit.
At the beginning of this month, the Supreme Court regulated its previous instructions and commissioned the former CJI and selection commission, which, headed by responsibility independently, determined the most suitable candidates for appointment for 15 universities.
Vice -Chairman for 17 of 35 state universities have already been appointed in accordance with the Supreme Court Regulation and the process of selecting the remaining vacancies will probably be held in the next few days.
Published – August 18, 2025 06:43
