Kolkata:
One of India's best-known institutions - Kolkata's Presidency College has received a nod from the Bengal Assembly for becoming a full-fledged university but the Opposition wants more debate on the issue and has sought the governor's intervention.
Government college teachers have taken to the streets in protest, casting a shadow of uncertainty over when Presidency will actually get varsity status.
Kolkata's pride and one of India's best institutions with at least one Nobel Laureate among its alumni, the 192-year-old Presidency College is all set to become a university.
Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury, Higher Education Minister: Since it is one of the best educational institutions, and now it has become a university, rather, it is going to become a university...its our firm belief that it will scale further heights.
However, the Opposition - which had passed the draft - skipped Assembly when the bill was being passed and went to the governor demanding more debate on the issue.
Partha Chattopadhyay, Trinamool Congress: He is not just the governor of the state, he is also the chancellor. As a chancellor, we want him not to sanction this bill...he should send it back to the assembly.
The Opposition's move sent Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to the Governor House as well. But there are protests on the streets by government college teachers.
Debashish Sarkar, West Bengal Government College Teachers Association (WBGCTA) said, "You may enjoy some sort of buoyancy in the marking system but ultimately credibility of marksheet, acceptability of marksheet will go down."
So, the Presidency University Bill 2009 may have now become an act but implementing it may still test the Left Front government's political skills and will.
Government college teachers have taken to the streets in protest, casting a shadow of uncertainty over when Presidency will actually get varsity status.
Kolkata's pride and one of India's best institutions with at least one Nobel Laureate among its alumni, the 192-year-old Presidency College is all set to become a university.
Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury, Higher Education Minister: Since it is one of the best educational institutions, and now it has become a university, rather, it is going to become a university...its our firm belief that it will scale further heights.
However, the Opposition - which had passed the draft - skipped Assembly when the bill was being passed and went to the governor demanding more debate on the issue.
Partha Chattopadhyay, Trinamool Congress: He is not just the governor of the state, he is also the chancellor. As a chancellor, we want him not to sanction this bill...he should send it back to the assembly.
The Opposition's move sent Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to the Governor House as well. But there are protests on the streets by government college teachers.
Debashish Sarkar, West Bengal Government College Teachers Association (WBGCTA) said, "You may enjoy some sort of buoyancy in the marking system but ultimately credibility of marksheet, acceptability of marksheet will go down."
So, the Presidency University Bill 2009 may have now become an act but implementing it may still test the Left Front government's political skills and will.
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