West Bengal professors oppose Govt.’s inter-university transfer Bill, call it an attack on education
WBCUTA says arbitrary transfers will weaken universities already facing severe faculty shortages, vows to first write to the Governor, who is also the Cancellor of Universities, and make an appeal
The West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association (WBCUTA) has vehemently opposed the State government's proposed teacher transfer Bill, accusing it of an attack on education and higher education institutions' autonomy. The bill, tabled on September 10, 2026, allows employees, both teaching and non-teaching staff, to be transferred to any university or college within the State due to administrative reasons, without the consent of the affected employees.
WBCUTA member Partha Pratim Roy, a professor at Jadavpur University, emphasized that the bill would destroy centers of excellence and ruin the academic atmosphere, as most higher education institutes already operate with only 40-60% of their sanctioned teaching strength. Roy further warned that brilliant students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds would be left behind if the bill were to be implemented.
The professors have vowed to intensify their movement, including writing to the Governor, holding a signature campaign, and organizing a mass protest march. They also threatened legal action if the bill is not withdrawn after their protest measures. The Chief Minister's assertions of sending "so-called pundits" to new institutions and uprooting "anti-national" elements have further fueled the professors' concerns about targeted transfers.
The professors argue that instead of arbitrary transfers, the government should focus on funding allocation, rapid recruitment, and infrastructure development to improve the education system.
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