Anandamoy Barman, the BJP MLA of the Matigara-Naxalbari Assembly constituency in the Siliguri subdivision, has sent a letter to Union minister for education Dharmendra Pradhan demanding a central university in north Bengal.

Visva-Bharati, Bengal’s only central university, is at Santiniketan in Birbhum district.

“There is only one central university in our state, which is in Birbhum and around 500 kilometres far from Siliguri. Establishing a second central university in the Siliguri sub-division will benefit students of entire north Bengal,” read Barman’s letter which also said the central university was the longstanding demand of people in north Bengal.

The MLA pointed out that considering the geographical location of Siliguri, the central varsity would benefit students of the neighbouring states of Sikkim, Bihar and Jharkhand.

“It can also cater to students from northeastern states and even students from neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Such an institution will also boost Siliguri’s emergence as an education hub in east and northeast India and will provide wider options to students,” said Barman.

In 2023, Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, had placed a private member’s bill in the Parliament, seeking the establishment of a central university in the hills.

“Now, the MLA has come up with the same demand and wants the varsity in the Siliguri subdivision. It is evident that the BJP is under pressure as the state has set up the Darjeeling Hill University (in Mungpoo) and was also instrumental in establishing the second campus of the Presidency University in Kurseong,” said a political observer.

In his letter, Barman said the Union education ministry could explore the option of upgrading the North Bengal University (NBU) into a central varsity. Located on the outskirts of Siliguri, the NBU, established in 1962, is the oldest varsity in north Bengal.

The MLA has sent another letter to state education minister Bratya Basu, requesting him to provide the land required to set up the central varsity.

“According to the policy, the land for establishing a central university has to be provided by the state concerned and the proposal has to be sent to the Union government through the state. That is why, it seems, he has sent the letter to Bratya Basu,” said an educationist based in Siliguri.