Minister: Appointing MPs, MLAs to free campuses of politics
Times of India | 26 August 2026
Kolkata: Appointing MPs and MLAs as governing body presidents of 247 state-aided colleges was a “conscious move” by the govt, state higher education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay said after attending a workshop at the convention centre in New Town.
Responding to a question, Chattopadhyay said: “During the Left regime, educational institutions faced agitation due to two reasons — students’ union elections and college governing body elections. In 2017, the rule was amended and it became a nominated position. We will not allow college campuses to be turned into political breeding grounds the way they have been over the last 15 years.”
He stated that graduate MPs and MLAs have been appointed to make campuses “free from politics”. He said: “This was a very conscious move, and in this way, we want to regularize the system of timely admissions, classes, examinations, and result publications.” He highlighted that soon, the remaining 200 colleges will see a similar, even more conscious approach by the govt.