Big setback for Jadavpur University, Loses Institute of Eminence Status

New Delhi: In a big setback, the Centre has dropped West Bengal's Jadavpur University from its proposed list of Institutes of Eminence (IoE) after the BEC recommended the UGC to drop the University from the list of loE institutions. Sharing the details of why Jadavpur University lost its IoE status, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education, Sukanta Majumdar blamed CM Mamata Banerjee saying her apathy killed university's IoE dream and listed out reduced funding of the state government among various other reasons.

After the Centre excluded Jadavpur University's name in the IoE list, BJP 's Rajya Sabha MP from Bengal, Samik Bhattacharya, requested Sukanta Majumdar to enlighten them the reason as to why the institute failed to achieve Institutes of Eminence status and measures it can undertake to address the concerns shared by University Grants Commission (UGC) and Empowered Expert Committee (EEC). He also asked the minister whether there is any possibility for the University to reapply for the IoE status in the future.

Samik Bhattacharya specifically requested the minister to educate the House on two things: One, “the specific factors that led the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) to recommend against granting Institute of Eminence (loE) status to Jadavpur University, despite its initial shortlisting,” and second, “the measures Jadavpur University can undertake to address the concerns raised by the UGC and BEC, and whether there is a possibility for the university to reapply for IoE status in the future?”

In a written response to Bhattacharya's queries, Sukanta Majumdar informed Rajya Sabha and said, “The Empowered Experts Committee (EEC) considered the revised proposal of the Jadavpur University and observed that there was a steep decline in the budget from earlier projected amount of Rs 3,299 crore to Rs 606 crore and such a steep decline in the budget was not conducive to realise the target set for the loE institutions. Accordingly, the BEC recommended the UGC to drop the Jadavpur University from the list of loE institutions. The recommendations of BEC were placed before the commission and the same was agreed to.”

MoS Sukanta Majumdar later took to X and held Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for reducing state funding to the Jadavpur University.

“Jadavpur University, one of India’s finest institutions, was set to receive the prestigious Institute of Eminence (IoE) status, bringing Rs 1,000 crore in central funding and greater autonomy. But thanks to Mamata Banerjee’s sheer negligence, JU lost this golden opportunity,” Majumdar wrote on X.

“The state government first slashed JU’s proposed budget from Rs 3,299 crore to Rs 1,015 crore and then further down to Rs 606 crore, forcing the university to arrange 25 per cent of funds on its own! UGC & EEC rejected this underfunded proposal, and JU was removed from the IoE list,” the MoS said.

The Union Minister further targeted Mamata Banerjee saying while the failed Chief Minister blows crores on freebies and PR gimmicks, Bengal’s top university was abandoned by Mamata's government. This is a direct betrayal of students, teachers and Bengal’s academic future, he added.