In a significant development for higher education in West Bengal, Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has appointed permanent Vice-Chancellors for six state-aided universities. This move, made on Wednesday (October 29, 2025), finally resolves a years-long deadlock that left these crucial positions vacant or filled by interim officeholders. Among the institutions benefiting from these new appointments are prestigious names like Calcutta University and Jadavpur University.
Professor Ashutosh Ghosh, who previously served as interim V-C of Calcutta University in 2017, will now take on the permanent role of Vice-Chancellor. Jadavpur University will welcome Professor Chiranjib Bhattacharyya as its new permanent V-C. Professor Bhattacharyya currently presides over the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education and previously held the position of pro-V-C at Jadavpur University.
Professor Partha Pratim Biswas, President of the Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA), expressed his relief and satisfaction to The Hindu on Thursday (October 30). “In such top educational institutes, the V-C post is incredibly crucial; they are responsible for the entire academic environment,” he stated. “Without a Vice-Chancellor, the entire system suffers daily, and even planning for future projects becomes problematic. There was a significant vacuum in Jadavpur University and other institutions because of this. The longer this vacuum persists, the more detrimental it is to education. We are delighted this decision has finally been made.”
The selection process involved a Supreme Court-appointed search committee, which shortlisted candidates. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee then ranked these candidates by preference before sending the list to the Governor for final approval. The six appointees were reportedly invited to a meeting at the West Bengal Governor’s residence, Raj Bhavan, on Monday (October 27, 2025). Formal notifications were subsequently dispatched to the respective universities by the West Bengal Government’s Higher Education Department on Wednesday (October 29, 2025).
An official letter from the West Bengal Government to Jadavpur University, dated October 29, confirmed Professor Bhattacharjee’s appointment: “NOW, THEREFORE, in terms of the above mentioned orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and in exercise of the powers conferred by the Jadavpur University Act, 1981, as amended from time to time, the Hon’ble Chancellor is hereby pleased to appoint Prof. Dr. Chiranjib Bhattacharjee as the Vice-Chancellor of the Jadavpur University with effect from the date of joining for a period of four years or till he attains the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier.”
Beyond Calcutta and Jadavpur Universities, the new appointments also fill Vice-Chancellorships for the University of Gour Banga, Kazi Nazrul University, Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University, and Biswa Bangla Biswabidyalay. The individuals invited to Raj Bhavan for this process included Ashis Bhattacharya (University of Gour Banga), Uday Bandyopadhyay (Kazi Nazrul University), Chandradipa Ghosh (Sadhu Ramchand Murmu University), and Abu Taleb (Biswa Bangla Biswabidyalay), in addition to Professors Ghosh and Bhattacharyya. These significant appointments were also publicized on the official Raj Bhavan Media Cell page on X.
State Education Minister Bratya Basu welcomed the development on X, stating, “Today, Vice-Chancellors who were the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s first choices have been appointed to six more State-aided universities. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all of them!”
This resolution brings an end to a protracted disagreement between the Governor and the Chief Minister regarding the authority to appoint V-Cs at these state-run universities. Ms. Banerjee had repeatedly accused the Governor of appointing interim V-Cs without her consultation, while Raj Bhavan maintained that the State Government was infringing upon the Governor’s constitutional powers as Chancellor. This prolonged impasse had left many of the state’s top universities struggling without permanent leadership for years, severely impacting academic and administrative functions.