West Bengal govt passes bills to set up two private universities in state

West Bengal government on Tuesday passed two bills for formation of two private universities in the state during the penultimate day of the winter session of the Assembly.

The two bills, passed in the assembly, will help in setting up of two private universities-Rabindranath Tagore University in Nadia district’s Dhaniakhali and Ramakrishna Paramhansa University at North 24 Parganas district’s Agarpara.

State Minister for Higher Education & School Department Bratya Basu said in his speech on the floor of the House, “In Bengal there are 15 private universities altogether, including these two new universities, along with government universities.”


He also stated that Calcutta University and Jadavpur University are among the top universities nationally.

Basu also pointed out that “the central government has stopped funding for higher education and want to destroy the the higher education and research”

“Ramakrishna Paramhansa University will be promoted by the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission, a society registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961 and to confer the status of a Private University thereon,” the bill said. The bill was passed today in the assembly.

“Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission is a society registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961. The society has come up with a proposal to the state government for setting up of a self-financing Private University at Agarpara. “The university will provide instruction. teaching, training and research in various branches and Master’s Degree and Bachelor's Degrees in English, Food and Nutrition, Sanskrit, Economics, Psychology. Geography and also in MCA, BCA, MSW, BBA etc,” the bill said.

“The feasibility of the proposal for setting up of the Ramakrishna Paramhansa University has been examined by a five-member committee headed by the Vice-Chairman of the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education and the committee has recommended the establishment of the proposed University,” the bill said.

The Rabindranath Tagore University will be promoted by Kalipada Saha Memorial Trust.

Mohammed Ali, a Trinamool MLA, said in the House today that Niti Ayog has said to increase more private universities in the country.