West Bengal's Higher Education department has launched an audit of private colleges statewide. Special teams will inspect BEd, primary teacher training, and degree colleges. The initiative aims to verify if students receive quality education after paying significant fees.
Audit Scope and Methods
Inspection teams will assess classroom teaching, student enrollment, and daily attendance. They will examine biometric systems where available. For colleges using manual attendance, records will be cross-referenced with enrollment data. CCTV footage will also be reviewed to confirm class regularity and average student attendance.
Government Rationale
A senior official stated that past inspections occurred primarily before initial college approvals. There was no subsequent follow-up. The current audit seeks to ensure private institutions operate as educational centers, not solely for profit. This action follows a meeting involving Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Union education ministry officials.
New NOC Renewal Policy
Adhikari announced that future No Objection Certificate (NOC) renewals will depend on colleges meeting required standards. Private BEd and teacher training institutes are under scrutiny due to past corruption allegations and financial irregularities. Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay affirmed the government supports legitimate colleges but opposes the sale of certificates.
New applications for BEd, law, pharmacy, and polytechnic colleges will face a two-year evaluation delay. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) standards are met annually by most engineering and technology colleges, according to the All India Private Universities Association (APAI) West Bengal. Former Vice Chancellor Soma Bandhyopadhyay supported the move, noting 253 BEd colleges lost affiliations previously due to salary malpractice and falsified records but continued operating.
