The authorities of 253 private BEd colleges in West Bengal, whose affiliations were revoked by Baba Saheb Ambedkar University, have been advised by the university not to seek financial assistance from individuals in order to regain their affiliations. The university has instructed these colleges to enhance their infrastructure in line with the guidelines set by the National Council of Teachers’ Education (NCTE) to regain their affiliations. Out of a total of 600 private BEd colleges, 253 were denied permission to admit students in the upcoming academic session due to inadequate infrastructure, including the teacher-student ratio, as per NCTE guidelines, according to an official statement.
Soma Bandyopadhyay, vice-chancellor, Baba Saheb Ambedkar University, cautioned the managements of these private colleges against attempting to regain affiliations through financial influence. She emphasised that all colleges should avoid association with individuals making promises of financial assistance for the restoration of affiliations, urging adherence to the NCTE norms as the sole criterion, the statement mentioned.
While not singling out any specific private college, the vice-chancellor hinted at disinformation circulating on social media. She stressed that meeting all NCTE norms should be the primary consideration for reinstating affiliations.
The university, formerly known as West Bengal University of Teachers’ Training, Education Planning and Administration, granted affiliation to approximately 350 other private BEd colleges, permitting them to continue their teacher training courses. The guidelines mandated a sufficient teacher-student ratio, with private colleges being informed of these requirements before submitting permission applications by November 4. In the state, there are over 600 private and 25 state-run BEd colleges, as per the statement.
With inputs from PTI.