Calcutta, April 17: Calcutta High Court today said universities are bound to affiliate BEd colleges that have obtained clearance certificates from the National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE).

“According to a Supreme Court ruling, once a BEd college has got an NCTE certificate, obtaining affiliation from a local university is a mere formality,” Justice Aniruddha Basu said.

The judge directed Vidyasagar University in West Midnapore to immediately grant affiliation to the Chandrakona Town Bengal College of Teachers’ Education.

The Chandrakona college had got a clearance certificate from the NCTE on May 24 last year. When it applied for affiliation, Vidyasagar University sent a team to the college for inspection.

The university officials reported that the college did not have adequate infrastructure to run a training institute for teachers and the university authorities refused to grant affiliation.

The Chandrakona college authorities then moved the high court, challenging the university’s decision.

The Centre had set up the NCTE under the National Council for Teachers Education Act to monitor BEd colleges across the country. According to the act, a clearance certificate from the NCTE has to be obtained before setting up a BEd college.

The NCTE issues the certificate after inspecting the college to see if it has enough space and the necessary infrastructure.

The Chandrakona college could not admit students for the 2008-2009 session because it was refused affiliation.

Today’s court order, which will act as a precedent for BEd colleges across the state, will enable the Chandrakona college to start taking in students.