Help ahead'

Siliguri, May 20: The higher education minister of Bengal, Sudarshan Roy Chowdhury, promised today to fill up, in phases, at least 47 vacant teaching posts in Darjeeling district.

Of the 100 posts lying vacant in the district, 21 are in Darjeeling Government College alone.

“Since it is a government institution, recruitment is done through the public service commission. A candidate backs out when during appointment he comes to know that he is to be posted in Darjeeling. This time, we have decided to be more specific. At the time of advertising itself, we will let it be known that the selection is being done for Darjeeling Government College,” said Roy Chowdhury after a meeting today with principals of 19 colleges of Darjeeling district.

Darjeeling Government College is the only institution in the hills to offer masters degrees in zoology and botany. Last year in June, the students of the college had gone on a strike for over two weeks to protest against “40 vacant posts” and the absence of a full-fledged principal. Led by the Gorkha National Students’ Front — a GNLF wing — they had alleged that the officer-in-charge of the college did not enjoy the full powers that a principal does.

The students had also said the college has been neglected over the years by the state government, resulting in a decline in academic standards. Departments like economics, the students had then claimed, were being run by a single teacher.

“The vacant posts will be filled up in phases,” the minister promised today. Earlier, the heads of the institutions had complained to the minister about the shortage of classrooms compared to the number of students. Roy Chowdhury has asked the principals to approach district magistrate Rajesh Pandey if they need any help to upgrade the infrastructure. Pandey was also present at the meeting held in the circuit house here.

About the second university of the region coming up in Malda, the minister said the process for setting it up has started. “Recently Sukhadeo Thorat, the chairman of the University Grants Commission, met me and we had a discussion on the university. It will take two to three years before it can start functioning,” he added.