West Bengal Government and Governor Reach Agreement on Vice-Chancellor Appointments

After two years of contention, the West Bengal government and the Governor have reached an agreement on the appointment of permanent Vice-Chancellors in eight universities. This resolution follows a prolonged dispute over interim appointments and has been facilitated by the Supreme Court. Notable candidates have been proposed for various universities, and the formal appointment process is set to begin soon. However, discussions are still ongoing for five other universities. This development marks a significant step in stabilizing the leadership within West Bengal's higher education institutions.

By Ambika Singh Oct 8, 2025, 13:38 IST

Resolution of Vice-Chancellor Appointments in West Bengal

After two years of disputes regarding the appointment of permanent Vice-Chancellors, a consensus has been achieved between the West Bengal government and the Governor.

The West Bengal Higher Education Department has initiated a significant move that allows for the appointment of permanent Vice-Chancellors in eight universities throughout the state. These institutions have been operating without permanent Vice-Chancellors for an extended period, relying on interim officials. A senior official from the department announced on Monday that the Supreme Court has facilitated this agreement between the state government and Governor C.V. Ananda Bose.

Reports indicate that a conflict has persisted for the last two years between the state government and Raj Bhavan concerning the Vice-Chancellor appointments in various universities. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's administration expressed dissatisfaction with the Governor's unilateral appointment of interim Vice-Chancellors without prior consultation. The issue escalated to the Supreme Court, which has now enabled the commencement of the permanent appointment process following a settlement.

Supreme Court Oversight on Appointment Process

As per media sources, a special bench of the Supreme Court is overseeing the entire appointment process, which is based on recommendations from a committee led by former Chief Justice U.U. Lalit. Currently, the appointment of permanent Vice-Chancellors for 13 universities is pending in court, but the way has been cleared for eight of them.

Universities Set to Receive New Vice-Chancellors

The following candidates have been proposed for the Vice-Chancellor positions: Ashutosh Ghosh for Calcutta University, Chiranjib Bhattacharya for Jadavpur University, Om Prakash Mishra for North Bengal University, and Arnab Sen for Raiganj University.

Additionally, Ashish Bhattacharya is expected to lead Gour Banga University, while Uday Bandyopadhyay is suggested for Kazi Nazrul University. Chandradeepa Ghosh has been agreed upon for Sadhu Ramchandra Murmu University, and Abu Talib for Visva Bangla University.

Formal Appointments Expected Soon

An official from the Higher Education Department stated that the formal appointment process will commence once the Raj Bhavan issues a notification regarding the selected names, adhering to the legal framework and the Supreme Court's instructions.

Pending Decisions for Five Universities

The official also mentioned that there is still no consensus on the Vice-Chancellors for five additional state universities. The Supreme Court will continue to hear these cases, after which the appointment process will also begin for these institutions.