In a statement issued on Saturday, the Governor’s office said: “As promised in the Supreme Court, the Chancellor decided to post six interim vice-chancellors in those universities where the position of the vice-chancellor is vacant. Accordingly, eight candidates suggested by the government were called for a discussion today.”

The Governor’s office said only five candidates turned up for the discussion. “…Three others who attended said they wanted universities of their choice. Those universities were already having interim vice-chancellors,” the statement read, adding that only two candidates were willing “to be appointed as interim V-Cs in the vacant universities”. The Governor would be calling a few more candidates suggested by the state government for similar discussions on Monday, the statement added.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, alleged that the candidates were not called for a discussion but were given a “lecture on the powers of the Chancellor by some official”.

Targeting the Governor, West Bengal Education Minister and TMC leader Bratya Basu posted on ‘X’: “Reportedly, the Chancellor invited some eminent educationists at Raj Bhawan today for an interaction. It has been learnt that the Chancellor had not met his guests there. They were subjected to a long drawn lecture on the powers of the Chancellor by some official instead. He has not only defiled the basic decorum of Indian hospitality but has also insulted the eminent academicians of our state in the process. This is how he treats the top most educationists of Bengal!”