The Bill to upgrade the 192 years old Presidency College to a university was passed by The West Bengal Assembly on Friday i.e. March 19, 2010. Till date an affiliate of Calcutta University, the college is now on the verge of becoming an autonomous university. Though the opposition insisted to send the bill to the assembly select committee, the left front government was firm in its attitude to push through the bill.
The minister of state for higher education Sudarshsan Roy Chowdhury moved the Presidency University 2009 Bill, which was passed with voice vote. The opposition party protested against some remarks from Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and staged a walkout. They were not present in the house during the momentous day. The Chief Minister later reportedly told the media that the opposition has missed a significant occurrence.
He assured that a teacher’s selection committee would soon be formed and it would be authorized to recruit teachers from all over India. Though the minister assured that the post graduate classes would commence from the next session, but he was apprehensive about the undergraduate courses starting simultaneously.
Demanding all 35 colleges to be brought under the realm of Presidency University, the West Bengal Government College Teacher’s association (WBGCTA) called for a cease fire in all government colleges in protest of the urge to make it a unitary university, on Friday.
The first initiative to grant the college an autonomous university status was taken up the students, teachers and the alumnus.
The teacher’s body, which was affiliated with the ruling communist party of India, had apprehension over losing power and control over the college and therefore, the move to turn the college to an autonomous unit was hindered, although the two educational commission set up by the left party suggested an autonomous status for the college.
Homing around 2500 students, the Presidency College is till date a talent hub, but the politics involved during teacher’s recruitment and turbulence among the students have made it face condemnation for its declining standard. Founded as The Hindu College in 1817, it was renamed as The Presidency College in 1885 after being baptized.
Apart from producing scholars, luminaries and achievers in every field of life, The Presidency College played
a prominent role in the 19th century era of resurgence. A product of The Presidency himself it was none other than chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who fore fronted the entire move.
a prominent role in the 19th century era of resurgence. A product of The Presidency himself it was none other than chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who fore fronted the entire move.
The college has many great personalities as alumni to its credit, like nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen and Bimal Jalan. Adding feather to its cap were great personalities like freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Oscar winner film maker Satyajit Ray, Jyoti Basu and Scientist Satyendranath Bose.
