The governor of Bengal has removed the authorised vice-chancellor of Gour Banga University in Malda at a time when the appointment of full-term VCs for 17 state-aided universities, including Gour Banga, through a Supreme Court-appointed committee is underway.
On Tuesday, governor C.V. Ananda Bose, the ex officio chancellor of state-aided universities, removed authorised vice-chancellor Pabitra Chattopadhyay, who was appointed by the governor himself in May last year.
Chatterjee was appointed after the governor removed his predecessor, Rajat Kishor Dey, in April 2024.
Chatterjee’s removal came months after the governor removed JU’s authorised VC Bhaskar Gupta, a few days before his tenure was to end.
A communication sent to Chattopadhyay by the chancellor’s secretariat on Tuesday says: “The authorisation given to Prof. Pabitra Chattopadhyay as per... to exercise the powers and perform the duties of a vice-chancellor of the University of Gour Banga, under the Gour Banga University Act 2017, until further order, stands annulled and shall come into effect immediately.”
According to a Raj Bhavan official, Chattopadhyay was removed on charges of in-
competence, including his failure to conduct the convocation on August 25.
According to a varsity official, the state government had mentioned in an advisory issued in April 2024 that universities helmed by authorised vice-chancellors appointed by the governor without consulting the state government could not hold convocation or the meeting of decision-making bodies like the executive council. “So, these vice-chancellors could not hold the convocation.”
“This was explained to the chancellor’s office. But it seems the chancellor was not happy with the explanation,” the official added.
Calls and text messages to Chattopadhyay did not yield any response.
An education department official the point in removing an authorised VC when the process of appointing full-term vice-chancellors is underway was not clear.
“The Supreme Court-appointed search committee has completed its proceedings. The names could be announced in September. What is the point in removing an authorised VC now? The chancellor is just flaunting his powers,” the official said.
A Raj Bhavan official said the process of appointing another authorised VC at the university was underway.