In West Bengal, the higher education department has started with the initiation of a system that will require universities to complete all student-related services within a stipulated timeframe. As a first step in this direction, the department officials recently held a meeting with university registrars and asked them to set time limits for services like publication of results and issuing duplicate certificates. In case of a breach, the university officials will be held responsible and will be liable to pay a penalty.
Reports claim that few powerful institutes are uncomfortable with this new development as it will come as a dent on their established authority. Furthermore, with this new development, a teacher will not be able to get away by flaunting his or her position if they loses answer scripts. Incidentally, West Bengal University of Technology had introduced a central checking system to prevent loss of answer scripts. The system also helps the administration to keep tabs on teachers. But WBUT discontinued it last year.
In the meeting held at Bikash Bhavan on Thursday, university registrars have agreed to propose a time frame after it is routed through the highest executive bodies in universities: the Syndicate or the Executive Council.
Educationist says that the government wants universities to focus on student-related services to enforce accountability under the West Bengal Right To Public Service Act.
