The Calcutta High Court has taken decisive action against the principal of Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College, Dr. Sunanda Goenka, by removing her from her position. The decision was based on the grounds that she did not possess the academic qualifications mandated by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Additionally, a college teacher, Dr. Achina Kundu, was suspended on similar grounds. Both individuals have been prohibited from entering the college premises starting Friday.
Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, presiding over the case, stated,
“They don’t have the UGC-specified academic qualifications. Therefore, this action has been taken. If they could satisfy the court that they are eligible to work, they could be reinstated.”
The judge further ordered the sealing of the principal’s room.
The court’s intervention was prompted by a petition filed by a former student, alleging that the previous principal, Manik Bhattacharya, who had been arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment, had played a role in appointing these “undeserving” candidates. A lawyer not directly involved in the case highlighted that UGC rules specify that candidates who haven’t qualified in the State Eligibility Test (SET) or the National Eligibility Test (NET) cannot be appointed as principal.
Dr. Goenka had served as a teacher at Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College from 1998 to 2014 before assuming the role of principal in 2015. The state of Bengal has seen numerous terminations of teachers in government-aided schools due to irregularities in appointments. However, the removal of a college teacher for similar reasons was unprecedented. Pankaj Ray, principal of Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri College, remarked,
“This goes to show that the practice of recruiting underqualified teachers existed even before the Trinamul Congress had come to power in 2011.”
The petitioner further alleged that the college had become a hub for criminal elements during the tenure of the removed principal. Responding to this, Justice Gangopadhyay directed the police to present these individuals in court by October 9 and requested the police commissioner to investigate the matter.
