Kolkata: Different professors’ associations held protests against the inter-university transfer bill at their respective universities on Friday.At Jadavpur University, around 125 teachers held a march from Triguna Sen statue to Aurobindo Bhavan and submitted a letter to the vice-chancellor opposing the transfer bill. A demonstration was staged in front of Technology Bhavan by officers, teachers, non-teaching staff and researchers. JUTA president Partha Pratim Ray said: “The protest was part of the joint call by professors across universities to oppose the transfer bill as it will dismantle autonomy of the university and hamper academic and research. We submitted a letter to the VC requesting him to make clear the university’s stand on transfer bill.”At Calcutta University, around 70 to 80 professors, non-teaching staff and researchers staged a protest on the College Street campus. More than 50 teachers, officers and non-teaching staff members participated in a protest at Rabindra Bharati University, B T Road campus. “We request the govt to withdraw this undemocratic bill immediately, else this protest will be taken to the streets. We are ready to fight in the courts, too. University autonomy and the greater interest of saving the public-funded higher education system will be protected at any cost,” said RBUTA general secretary Debasish Bhattacharyya. Protests were also held at Kalyani University and MAKAUT.Burdwan University Teachers’ Association has written a letter to Governor-chancellor R N Ravi, urging him to withdraw the bill as it raises questions on service security, university autonomy, academic continuity, research, PhD supervision and long-term quality of higher education.
