West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has removed Professor Pabitra Chattopadhyay from his post as vice-chancellor of the University of Gour Banga with immediate effect. The decision, announced on Wednesday, was made over allegations of dereliction of duty and corruption.
The directive came just days after the university’s inspector of colleges accused Chattopadhyay of demanding money to cover legal expenses. Chattopadhyay, a chemistry professor, has denied the allegation.
A Raj Bhavan official told the media, "The authorisation granted to Professor Pabitra Chattopadhyay to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the vice-chancellor of the University of Gour Banga, by order of the Chancellor, is hereby annulled with immediate effect."
The inspector of colleges has filed a case in the Calcutta High Court over the alleged irregularities, claiming that the interim vice-chancellor demanded an amount of ₹3 lakh. "Such an allegation is serious. We cannot have a person in the position of a VC who has been accused of asking for money. The step has been taken to keep the education system in West Bengal clean," the official added.
The university's convocation, which had been scheduled for August 25, was cancelled on instructions from the West Bengal government’s education department. The Governor's office stated that this was a key reason for Chattopadhyay's removal. "The chancellor took the firm stand that the government has no authority to interfere with the autonomy of the universities and ordered that the convocation be held as scheduled. But the vice-chancellor failed to comply with the direction. This negligence on the part of the VC expedited the immediate removal by the chancellor," the official said.
Bose had appointed Chattopadhyay as the officiating vice-chancellor in April 2024. The university’s convocation has been suspended since 2017 due to ongoing disputes between the state government and the Governor’s office.
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