Presidency College caught in vasity status quagmire

While the members of the association had opposed the proposal of granting university status to Presidency College,Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee,an alumni of the college,took the initiative of bringing the bill in the state Assembly last December owing to mounting public pressure.

“The association is committed to the cause of bringing all government colleges under the umbrella of a single state university,” said Shyamal Basak,general secretary of WBGCTA,while presenting the annual resolution of the association at Derozio Hall in Presidency College.

“The bill is now the property of the subject committee of the Assembly. The bill can be altered,quashed or accepted. It is the privilege of the state Assembly and I cannot comment on it,” said the minister,insisting that the matter is beyond his jurisdiction.

Roychowdhury acknowledged the demand of the WBGCTA to make a state university by bringing all the 35 government colleges under one banner and said that the demand has never been overlooked by the government. The minister,however,said the governing body of the college has unanimously passed the demand.

Roychowdhury tried to convince the teachers by pointing out references where the association has put its weight behind provisions that would grant more autonomy to the college.