Univ of Gour Banga: Pending for 8 yrs, minister ‘hopes convocation by March’

Malda: In a significant development, state Education minister Bratya Basu expressed optimism regarding the long-overdue convocation ceremony of the University of Gour Banga, which has been pending for eight years. The news comes as a great relief to former students, who have been struggling due to the absence of formal degrees, affecting their higher education and employment opportunities.

The prolonged delay has been attributed to the ongoing conflict between the state government and the Governor, leading to a lack of official approval for the ceremony. Without a convocation, students have been forced to rely on provisional certificates, which are only valid for six months, compelling them to make repeated visits to the university. Despite several appeals to university authorities, the issue remained unresolved.

University Registrar Biswajit Das acknowledged the problem, citing the Governor’s lack of approval as the primary obstacle. However, Basu assured that the matter would soon be settled.

“The convocation ceremony will be held in its due grandeur soon. I hope it will be done by March,” he stated. Political tensions surrounding the issue remain high. The ruling party has accused the Governor of deliberately delaying approvals to exert control over universities, while BJP leader Amlan Bhaduri countered these claims, alleging corruption in previous convocation events as the reason behind the long suspension. Meanwhile, Basu visited Malda for the much-anticipated Inter-College Sports Meet 2025, organised by the University of Gour Banga. The event commenced on Monday with great enthusiasm, featuring participation from 24 colleges across Malda and both Dinajpur districts. Basu inaugurated the two-day event by lighting the ceremonial lamp and releasing balloons. Several dignitaries, including ministers Sabina Yeasmin and Tajmul Hossain, Rajya Sabha MP Mausam Noor and vice-chancellor Pabitra Chattopadhyay, attended the opening ceremony.

During his speech, Basu strongly criticised the Central government for introducing “unscientific and communal” elements into the academic syllabus. He expressed concerns over claims such as Lord Ganesha being the first case of plastic surgery and the exclusion of the Taj Mahal from Uttar Pradesh’s tourism map. “Teachers must counter these distortions with scientific reasoning,” he urged.