Roles and Responsibilities of the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education

The West Bengal State Council of Higher Education was formed to steer the higher education sphere in the state in the desired direction and goal of the government. The Council aspires to participate in the following activities:

Planning and Co-ordination
1. To prepare consolidated programmes in the higher education of the State, keeping in view the guidelines issued by the Higher Education Department of the State and the University Grants Commission (UGC) from time to time, and to assist in their implementation.
2. To co-operate and coordinate with the Higher Education Department and the UGC in respect of determination and maintenance of standards of higher education and suggest remedies wherever necessary.
3. To evolve perspective plans for development of higher education in the State.
4. To forward the developmental initiatives designed by the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) of the State to the UGC and to initiate continuous monitoring on the progress of such developmental programmes.
5. To promote co-operation and co-ordination of the HEIs among themselves and explore the scope for interaction with industry and other related establishments.
6. To formulate principles as per the guidelines of the Government and the UGC for starting new HEIs and the norms to comply with. Keeping in mind the need, demand and suitability for establishing a new college in a specific location and based on the necessary instructions from the Govt., the Council is to conduct proper scrutiny and field inspection for the proposed college. After such inspection, the Council would send the report to the Higher Education Department for necessary action.
7. Regarding extension of affiliation of new subjects in the existing colleges at the UG and PG levels, the Council would cause inspection to the colleges and send report to the affiliating Universities for necessary action.
8. To suggest ways and means of augmenting additional resources as well as generating internal resources for educational institutions in the State.
9. To work in liaison with the AICTE,BCI,NCTE,NAAC,NBA,ICAR and other national level apex bodies or authorities in different areas of higher education.
10. To encourage girl students to go for higher studies and also to monitor enrolment of girl students in colleges and universities.
11. To identify measures needed and also to initiate steps for encouraging students of the families, faced with socially disadvantageous positions, to the institutions of higher education.
12. To maintain close vigil over functioning of colleges in known backward areas in the State and to identify infrastructural and other deficiencies and accordingly to keep the Governing Bodies of the concerned colleges, the affiliating University, and the Government informed of these deficiencies.

Academic Functions
1. To encourage and promote innovations in curricular development, restructuring of courses and updating of syllabi in the Universities and the colleges.
2. To devise methods and steps for admission at the UG and PG levels in the colleges and universities of the State.
3. To devise methods and steps to improve the standards of examinations conducted by the Universities and suggest necessary reforms.
4. To facilitate training of Teachers in colleges and universities.
5. To develop programmes for greater academic cooperation and interaction between University teachers and College teachers and to facilitate mobility of students and teachers within and outside the State.
6. To encourage sports, games, physical education and cultural activities among students in the universities and colleges.
7. To encourage extracurricular activities and promote interaction with agencies concerned with regional planning and development of higher education.
8. To prepare an overview report on the working of the universities and the colleges in the State and to furnish a copy of the report to the UGC and the Government.

Advisory Functions
1. In determining block maintenance grants and formulating strategies in respect to distribution of such grants.
2. On setting up a State Research Board so as to link research work of educational institutions with that of the research agencies and industry, keeping in view the overall research needs of the State.
3. In framing policy on 'earning while learning' for the students.
4. Performing any other functions necessary for the furtherance of higher education in the State.
5. To advise the Universities in framing Statutes, Ordinances or regulations on the basis of the respective University Act or amending the existing Statutes, Ordinances or Regulations, where necessary, keeping in view the various norms and requirements to be fulfilled.