Govt committed to holding students' council polls in colleges: WB education minister

Kolkata: West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Monday said the state government was committed to conducting students' council elections on a regular basis.

The minister's assertions assumed importance in the wake of agitation of student unions at Jadavpur University and Presidency University against the government's move to introduce a new model where every college and university will have apolitical students' council with the principal and teaching staff playing a vital role.

"We will ensure that students' council representatives are elected in every college on a regular basis. There will be no elections for students' union any more. Any election will be for the students' council from now on," Chatterjee said on the sidelines of a function in Calcutta University.

"And the student candidates should not flaunt political colours and have at least 60 per cent attendance. The college authorities will take care of these guidelines," Chatterjee said.

The provision in the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Bill-2017, against which the JU, Presidency students held protests in August and September, enabled the state government to prescribe rules and procedures for conducting students' body or union elections.

Chatterjee also asked Principals of colleges, who assembled at the CU campus for a meeting with him, to find out "the reason behind some colleges being overcrowded in undergraduate courses and some having empty seats in certain streams."

"We must find out the cause and address this anomaly," he said. Chatterjee said the government wanted to beautify every college in three months' time, "by improving facilities and giving a fresh coat of paint on every college building." "This will create a better visual impression about the colleges which is required," he said.

Chatterjee said Principals will from now on get Rs 6000 car allowance and Rs 1000 mobile allowance.