Goodbye Sikkim University, Welcome back NBU

Sikkim Express

WB officially confirms to re-affiliate colleges of Sikkim

The West Bengal government has formally confirmed its willingness to take back the colleges in Sikkim under the fold of the North Bengal University.
A letter from the higher education authority of West Bengal government sealing its consent on the re-affiliation appeal landed today at the HRD department, Sikkim government.
The State Government had recently approached the West Bengal government to re-affiliate colleges here for continuation of their session under NBU as Sikkim University is presently not capable.
In turn, the West Bengal government has communicated to the Sikkim Government that it has no problem in re-affiliating the colleges of Sikkim until Sikkim University is fully capable.
HRD Secretary KT Chankapa told SIKKIM EXPRESS that this consent letter will be forwarded before the concerned Minister and then decision will be taken up as to how to go with it.
Mr. Chankapa also clarified that colleges in Sikkim are still affiliated with Sikkim University till date as per the Sikkim University Act 2006 rule 6 (2) (which mentions ‘not withstanding anything in any other law for the time being in force, no educational institution within the state of Sikkim shall be associated in any way with or be admitted to any privileges granted by any such other university to an educational institution the state of Sikkim prior to the commencement of this act shall be deemed to be withdrawn on the commencement of this Act’).
The first semester for colleges scheduled to being from September 19 will be under Sikkim University.
The State Cabinet in its August 30 sitting had concluded that Sikkim University is not presently competent to being its full operations and took a decision to re-affiliate colleges with NBU till Sikkim University is capable.
Mr. Chankapa said colleges in Sikkim still require 180 efficient lecturers under Sikkim Central University in various subjects. “Sikkim University also lacks a proper infrastructure and other facilities which are required for the University”, he said.
Meanwhile, student bodies of colleges here have strongly voiced their dissatisfaction over the re-affiliation bid by the State government.
Students’ representative bodies of three colleges had issued a joint statement yesterday appealing the government to rethink on the decision. They have also warned that students will not allow the loss of Sikkim University adding that quality levels in colleges have improved under this University.