32 new government colleges to be set up in West Bengal

In a major boost to the education sector in West Bengal, 32 new government colleges will be opened in the state, Education Minister Bratya Basu today said.

"After Independence there were only eight state government colleges. We have taken a decision to increase it to 32," the minister, who attended a high-level administrative meeting of Gourbanga University here today, said.

Work on six colleges has already started, the minister said. The government has already sanctioned three universities -- Diamond Harbour University (for women), Coochbehar Panchanan Verma University and Bankura University.

Apart from this, the government had also sanctioned two private universities, Techno India University and Sonar Bangla University, the minister said.

Basu said educationists should be entrusted with the task of managing educational institutions and the government wants the teaching and medical profession to be free from politics.

From November, a new transfer policy will be implemented for school teachers in the state, he said. The minister said that the results of primary teachers' recruitment examination state will be declared soon.

He said the government wants to bring clarity in the process of admission and publication of results in colleges and at the university level.

Newly appointed Vice Chancellor of Gourbanga University Gopal Candra Mishra, Tourism Minister Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury, Woman and Social Welfare Minister Sabitri Mitra were also present at the meeting.

PTI