Presidency bill to be placed in Assembly soon

The state government will soon introduce the Presidency University Amendment Bill in the state Assembly, which will create the university's governing board, the highest decision-making body, as well as ensure that all members of the university's mentor group gets accommodated in it.

The state government will soon introduce the Presidency University Amendment Bill in the state Assembly, which will create the university's governing board, the highest decision-making body, as well as ensure that all members of the university's mentor group gets accommodated in it.

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The move was announced after a meeting between education minister Bratya Basu and chairman of Presidency University mentor group Sugata Bose on Friday. The mentor group is in the process of submitting its 3rd recommendation report, which would mention all the recommendations mentioned above.

To begin with, Presidency would not have a two-tier governing body like other state universities. Instead it will have one all-powerful governing board and would have 23 members. Explaining why the university would have just one decisionmaking body, the higher education minister said, "While announcing the birth of Presidency University we mentioned that it would be a centre of excellence. And to do so we feel the smaller the governing body the better it would be for running the university."

The governing body will have a mix of elected and selected people and representation from the university faculties, renowned academicians and distinguished alumnus. The state would also accommodate the 10-member mentor group chaired by Bose.

"The mentor group is playing the most important role in converting this university into a centre of excellence. Their term ends in June next year but we want them to remain associated with the university, hence they would find place in governing board," said Bose. "We hope that the amendments would get passed at the earliest. We want the university statutes and the acts to be ready by June 2012. By that time over 100 faculties would join the university and hence it would be the apt time to form the governing board of the university," said Bose.

"Our report is ready and I would meet the chief minister and submit it to her tomorrow or by next week. And once that is done we can discuss in detail the proposed composition of the governing board and other issues," Bose said.

The students' union election of Presidency University however may not happen before 2013. "The students union election has to be held as per the university statute. But the statute would take some more time to be formed. Hence if the students want election this year it would be the discretion of the vicechancellor," said Bose.