The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, by 171 votes to 15 in a one-day special session, giving the state government statutory power to transfer teaching and non-teaching staff from one state university to another.
Ritabrata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress walked out of the assembly and skipped the voting. Legislators aligned with former chief minister Mamata Banerjee remained in the House and voted against the measure.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari spoke at length during the debate, defending the amendment as necessary for newer campuses while turning repeatedly to Jadavpur University. He said sympathisers of “anti-national forces” on the campus needed “strict medicines” and that the government would speak the language of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, not Mahatma Gandhi, if “Kashmir wants freedom” slogans continued to be raised.
“The Bill will balance institutes’ autonomy and accountability towards the government… It would not impact PhD supervision and projects… Those unhappy with the provisions of the Bill are welcome to quit their jobs. You can pick up a Jhola and walk our or even start selling Ganoshakti” Adhikari told the House. He added that “so-called pundits” would be sent to newly established institutions that would benefit from their experience. Jadavpur University would receive Rs 1,300 crore in grants, he said, “but those calling for breaking India (‘Bharat tere tukde honge’) will be broken into pieces.”
He also referred to the 1970 murder of former Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Gopal Sen and said the government could form a panel to probe the incident if required.
The amendment inserts a provision in Section 14A of the 2017 Act. It states that: notwithstanding any contract, agreement, other law or existing service conditions, the Chancellor may, in consultation with the State Government and for administrative reasons, transfer any employee holding a post in one university to another university established by State law. The transferred employee shall carry such conditions of service as specified in the transfer order and shall be deemed appointed by the competent authority of the receiving university. The employee may opt either to retain a lien in the original university or to be absorbed in the new one. The Chancellor is treated as the appointing authority for the purpose of such transfers. The employee is eligible for a transfer grant and the cost of transporting personal effects at prescribed rates. Seniority of an employee transferred in the public interest who does not retain a lien is counted from the date of initial appointment in the relevant cadre or post.
Opposition questioned if the new law will be used in a vindictive manner against anti government voices. Officials said seniority of transferred employees will be protected and the state will bear transfer costs. The government has described the change as part of a “one state, one education” approach, arguing that experienced faculty from older Kolkata and city universities should help build infrastructure and academic culture at newer campuses in places such as Jhargram and Cooch Behar. The Bill also brings Aliah University under the Higher Education Department.
Teachers’ associations and academics have opposed the move, warning that it weakens university autonomy and could be used to target faculty seen as critics of the government. Jadavpur University Teachers’ Association members had earlier said existing service conditions under the university’s own Act did not provide for such transfers and sought clarity on research supervision, laboratories and grants.
Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay tabled the legislation after Cabinet approval on 8 September. Adhikari had called its passage “historic.” The Bill now goes to Governor R.N. Ravi for assent.
The special sitting, on Thursday, came a day after Adhikari led a saffron march to the gates of Jadavpur University, where he had vowed to “uproot” those raising “Kashmir mange azadi” and “Lal Salam to Kishenji” slogans. The campus has seen recent clashes between Left student groups and the ABVP.
