The Presidency University in Calcutta has initiated the recruitment process for academic posts on its third campus in Dow Hill, Kurseong.
On July 15, the varsity published an advertisement, seeking applications for the posts of assistant registrar, assistant controller of examinations and accounts office for the hill campus that has been named as the Himalayan Centre of Presidency University.
“It is a major development for the hills and Kurseong, from where I started my political journey about eight years ago. The infrastructure of the varsity has been set up, and now, they have initiated the recruitment process. We hope that the institution will be operational soon,” Anit Thapa, the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, said on Thursday.
According to him, the decision to set up a campus of Presidency University, an institution of national and international repute, is a “gift” to Kurseong, which is known as the educational hub in the hills.
“Once the new campus of such a premier educational institution starts functioning, the hill town will get more importance in the field of education,” said Subhash Pradhan, vice-chairman of the board of administrators at the Kurseong municipality.
Sources said the new campus would have hostels for 100 male and 100 female students.
“The campus will emerge as a centre for advanced research, special programmes and interdisciplinary studies, especially in areas such as astrophysics, biotechnology and climate science,” said a source.
Academics based in the hills said that after Mamata Banerjee assumed the chief minister’s office, two varsities were announced for the hills.
“The other one is the Darjeeling Hill University, which is coming up in Mungpoo. This university is currently functional and running from the ITI building in Mungpoo, but lacks faculty and other staff. This is causing inconvenience to students. The state higher education department should look into it and take necessary initiatives,” said a senior college teacher based in Darjeeling.
