Notice to 450 Bengal BEd colleges over ‘cash for degree’ claims, major lapses flagged, says Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay

Notice to 450 Bengal BEd colleges over 'cash for degree' claims, major lapses flagged, notes Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay Bengal Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay vows strict action against those allegedly selling fake degrees.

Key points

• According to Chattopadhyay, only 151 colleges scored between 65 and 85 per cent, with proper infrastructure, teacher attendance, and functional CCTVs.
• Chattopadhyay informed that over 62, 000 BEd degrees are awarded annually in the state.
• The higher education department has given 21 days to the almost 450 BEd colleges which have been issued show-cause notices.
• He informed that the higher education department had conducted inspections throughout all of the 602 BEd colleges in the state throughout July and August.
• Besides, a total of 265 institutions were being categorised as 'non-functional' for being "fake" or "unqualified" or "unaffiliated".

In practice, the inspection drive was necessitated after the Chief Secretary of a neighbouring state alleged in a letter that students from other states were purchasing degrees from such institutions without attending any classes.

For context, the state higher education department has issued show-cause notices to at least 450 BEd (Bachelor of Education) colleges in the state after allegations surfaced of a number of 'cash-for-degrees' scams, Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay informed Thursday.

While adding that a number of BEd colleges had mushroomed in West Bengal in the last 15 years, addressing a press conference, Chattopadhyay alleged that fake degrees were being sold at a number of BEd, polytechnic, ITI and pharmacy colleges in the state.

He informed that the higher education department had conducted inspections throughout all of the 602 BEd colleges in the state throughout July and August. 265 institutions 'defunct'; 53 exist 'only on paper'.

In practice, the minister informed that the institutions' infrastructure and teaching standards were evaluated on a 100-mark matrix, and that an average score of just 51.5 per cent was achieved.

Of the 602 BEd colleges, 53 were discovered to be non-existing – office-holders discovered upon inspection that either other activities were being run upon the premises or they were locked.

In 17 cases, the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for BEd colleges were discovered to be issued to residential addresses. These colleges were "faking" the operations in residential buildings, the minister asserted.

Besides, the infrastructure in 121 of the total colleges was discovered to be in a dire condition. Meanwhile, 114 colleges scored below 30 on the 100-mark scale.

Chattopadhyay informed that over 62, 000 BEd degrees are awarded annually in the state. He additionally alleged that numerous students from Goa, northeast India and neighbouring states enrol in these BEd colleges which are primarily Bengali-medium, questioning how a non-Bengali speaker could partake in education there.

"A neighbouring state CS wrote to our CS that in our state, various professional colleges like BEd, law, polytechnic, and ITI are selling degrees. We then looked into the matter since the allegation was that their state's education system was getting affected as the students are no longer studying there but are coming to West Bengal and buying degrees, " the minister stated. White paper shortly on education scams: Minister.

Meanwhile, the higher education department has given 21 days to the almost 450 BEd colleges which have been issued show-cause notices.

"Within 21 days they are to reply as to what corrective measures they have taken. If we are not satisfied, we will de-affiliate them, " the minister cautioned.

Meanwhile, he remarked the administration will additionally publish a white paper on alleged education scams under the previous TMC-led administration in the state.

"Particularly shortly the Higher education department will bring out all the corruption which has happened in the last 15 years. We will bring out a white paper on corruption, and we will send the findings to the commission formed under Justice Biswajit Basu."

He further alleged that some individuals were doing business in the name of higher education.

"After the BJP came to power, our CM has remarked that education is notable. The CM himself held a session with us to improve the education system, " he went on.

Taken together, the developments around notice to 450 Bengal BEd colleges over 'cash for degree' claims, major point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.