Clousure of B.Ed colleges likely to be resolved

Kolkata, July 3 (UNI) The vexed issue of arbitrary clousure of 36 B.Ed colleges in West Bengal is likely to be resolved soon after the issue comes up in the monsoon session of Parliament this month.

The future of more than 5,000 students in these colleges was jeopardised after the National Council of Teacher's Education under the Human Resources Ministry cancelled the registration without citing proper reason. The issue has since created an uproar in the state.

Making a statement on the floor of the House today during mention hour, state Higher Education Minister Sudarshan Roy Choudhury said following his meeting with Union Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh and senior officials of his ministry in New Delhi, the Centre had agreed to implement 1953 NCTE Act, ensuring immediate re-opening of all the 36 B.Ed colleges and bringing relief to the 5000 students.

Dr Roy Choudhury said though they previously considered issuing an Ordinance to amend the NCTE Act, the decision was changed in the wake of President APJ Abdul Kalam's directive to convene the monsoon session of Parliament on July 24.

Since no Ordinance could be passed when Parliament session was convened, it was mutually decided at an urgent meeting of senior representatives of the state government and the Centre that the issue of an amicable settlement of the closed B.Ed colleges would be taken up in Parliament soon after the monsoon session began, Dr Roy Choudhury informed the House.

UNI ABA SP MSJ DS1435