Kolkata, Sept. 10 -- The state government on Thursday introduced two higher education amendment bills in the Assembly, seeking to create a legal framework for inter-university employee transfers and uniform provident fund (PF) management for staff of 18 state universities.
The proposed changes could have significant administrative implications for universities, particularly those facing shortages of experienced teaching and non-teaching staff.
The West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes empowering the Chancellor to transfer an employee from one university to another, in consultation with the state government, on administrative grounds.
The bill provides safeguards for transferred employees. They can retain their lien in the parent university or opt for permanent absorption in the new university. Their service conditions, seniority and other service-related rights would also be protected.
Higher Education minister Jagannath Chatterjee moved the bills.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, supporting the legislation, said the objective was to make better use of experienced teachers and employees in newer universities and institutions facing staff shortages. He said similar provisions existed in Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra.
Adhikari said there would be a "strong dose" for erring teachers and that disgruntled employees could quit. He also sought to allay apprehensions over political interference, assuring the Assembly that the government would not misuse the provision.
He said that due to the "appeasement policy", the Trinamool Congress was out of power and divided into four groups, while the BJP had 207 MLAs and would soon have 208. "We will fight for Rejinagar too strongly," he said.
The Opposition attacked the bills, alleging they could dilute university autonomy and create scope for arbitrary transfers and corruption in higher education.
Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee said the government would have multiple opportunities to misuse the provision and interfere in university administration. He also said he had earlier written to the Education Minister about a Sonarpur College teacher being appointed at Jadavpur University without a PhD, questioning how such an appointment could take place.
Opposition members subsequently walked out.
Trinamool Congress MLA Alifa Ahmed opposed the bill, while ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui said it could be used vindictively, affecting the quality of education at Jadavpur University and putting research on the back foot.
SUCI spokesperson, former MLA and former Jadavpur University teacher Tarun Naskar said the bill would curb the university's autonomy and hamper research. He feared that employees not toeing the ruling party line could be transferred.
Separately, a bill proposing amendments to PF administration for 18 universities was tabled to bring their employees under the State Provident Fund Act, aiming to establish a uniform system and improve transparency.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.