The Mamata Banerjee government will keep tabs on admissions in the 600-odd state-aided colleges in Bengal, a mammoth task that many fear might result in the new regime wasting its time managing “micro” matters.

Higher education minister Bratya Basu on Thursday directed the aided colleges to send the lists of students they will admit, along with their marks.

“If there is any complaint of discrimination, we will refer to the list sent by the college concerned and take appropriate action,” Basu said.

Officials in the higher education department said any allegation of bias could be verified by comparing the complainant’s marks with those on the list sent by the college.

Autonomous institutions such as St. Xavier’s College and Ramakrishna Mission colleges in Belur and Narendrapur are among the ones that will have to abide by the admission diktat.

“The government will seek admission-related information from every college getting state assistance,” said Satish Tiwary, principal secretary, higher education.

First-year admission in colleges will start in the first week of June.

A college principal who does not want to be named feels the move, on the face of it, is laudable as it aims to ensure transparency in admissions but the government has bargained for more than it can handle.

“Keeping track of the admission of at least 1,20,000 students in the 600-odd aided colleges is easier said than done,” the principal said.

“The intention is praiseworthy but we need to keep in mind that it is not the government’s job to get involved in micro issues like college admissions. Instead of monitoring the admission lists, the higher education department should concentrate on framing effective policies for improving college education.”

A proactive higher education department may act as a deterrent against malpractice in admissions but a section of teachers does not rule out the possibility of the government, in the guise of monitor, interfering in administrative matters of the colleges.

“The attitude smacks of centralism that can kill the academic excellence of an institution. In the developed world premier academic institutions are allowed to function independently,” a senior teacher of a prominent central Calcutta college said, requesting anonymity.

The decision to ask for the list of students was taken at a meeting Basu had during the day with nearly a dozen pro-change academicians and teachers of colleges and universities.

“Before sending their lists to the government, the colleges will have to post them on their websites. Those that do not have a website will have to put up the lists on their notice boards,” Basu said.

Government sources said the drive to ensure transparency in college admissions followed complaints of merit being ignored in the face of political pressures while taking in students.

In Thursday’s meeting, the government also decided to ask MLA, MPs, political party leaders and card holders of political parties to resign if they are holding the secretary or president posts of governing bodies of colleges.

A similar move was also taken by the Left Front, before the Assembly elections when it had asked all party card holders to quit the posts of secretary and president in the governing bodies of colleges.

But despite the Left Front order, Anil Basu, former CPM MP continues to hold the president’s post in Arambagh Girls’ College.

“We will first write to the colleges to request the governing body presidents and secretaries, who are simultaneously holding political posts, to resign. We will decide our future actions if they do not respond to our request,” said Basu.

The minister, however, said the government will also take a drive to improve the infrastructure of all the colleges.

The government will seek proposals from the colleges for their overall development. In their proposals, the colleges will be able to seek government assistance for their expansion, modernising laboratories and increasing their collection of books in their libraries.

Basu said the government today also decided to ask the West Bengal College Service Commission to immediately fill up all the vacant principals’ posts in the colleges. Nearly 80 colleges in Bengal do not have a principal.