West Bengal government to vice-chancellors: Skip centre’s conference

Kolkata: Stepping up its attack on the Centre over demonetisation, the West Bengal education department has asked vice-chancellors of state universities not to attend the video conference with Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on digital economy and cashless transaction, scheduled for Thursday.

Principal secretary of state higher education department, Vivek Kumar, was among those scheduled to attend the video conference but education minister Partha Chatterjee said the vice-chancellors would not be able to do so since the universities are conducting their examinations.

“They (the V-Cs) are busy ensuring smooth functioning of the examinations, so they can not attend it,” he told reporters outside the Assembly. Asked whether the move amounted to a “boycott” of a Central government programme, Mr Chatterjee said, “No, it is not a boycott. The examinations are on and they are busy with it.”

Sources in Nabanna said the government was against the promotion of digital economy with the help of the students of state universities.

The development comes after the TMC government’s controversial ‘objection’ to the deployment of Army at toll plazas in the state.

Earlier this week, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had instructed WBCS officers not to act on any directive from the Centre without asking the state government.

The video conference was announced following the UGC’s directive asking all universities and colleges across the country to launch a month-long campaign to create awareness on cashless transaction.