The West Bengal Education Department has instructed state-run and government-aided colleges and universities in the state to submit their audit reports within the next 30 days. Colleges without elected students’ unions are to cease collecting “students’ union fees” from students immediately. An official from the education department highlighted that the collection of such fees in the absence of elected student unions was against the rules and must cease until new unions are elected.
Authorities of these institutions are required to detail the funds collected as “students’ union fees” in their audit reports during the period without elected unions and specify how these funds were utilized. Failure to submit the audit reports within the stipulated time may result in disciplinary action as per regulations. There are concerns within academic circles that these reports could reveal financial irregularities in the state’s education system, which faced challenges during the previous administration.
Under the current government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, efforts are being made to reform the education sector in West Bengal. Similar reforms were recently introduced in the school education domain to ensure governing body members are elected rather than selected, aiming to reduce political influence. The exception to this rule is the governing body secretary, who is typically the school’s headmaster or headmistress.
