Kolkata, Nov 9 (IANS) Around 57 Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) colleges in West Bengal have moved the Calcutta High Court, challenging the state government’s decision to halt their admission process for failing to meet prescribed eligibility criteria.
An official confirmed on Monday that the petition is likely to be taken up for hearing on Tuesday. The petitioner colleges claimed that the authorities issued no explicit notice outlining the specific reasons behind stopping their admissions.
The legal challenge follows the recent publication of an official list identifying institutions ineligible for affiliation renewal for the 2026-27 academic year.
State authorities stated that 205 listed colleges failed to meet requisite infrastructure and administrative standards, barring them from admitting new students for the 2026-28 session.
The government noted, however, that institutions resolving their infrastructure and faculty shortages could re-apply to prove eligibility for the 2027–29 academic cycle.
The move comes amid a broader regulatory crackdown. State Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay previously affirmed that the commercialisation of education would not be permitted and that academic quality must be strictly maintained.
Consequently, the Higher Education Department and the Technical Education Department conducted joint inspection drives across B.Ed, ITI, Polytechnic, and Pharmacy colleges.
In the initial phase of the drive, 156 B.Ed colleges were cleared for admissions, while 415 colleges failing to satisfy the criteria were issued 21-day show-cause notices to rectify deficiencies. Nine institutions failed to respond to the notices.
Following a second round of inspections, 237 B.Ed colleges received approval to admit students for 2026–27, while the remaining 205 non-compliant institutions were barred from enrolling fresh batches.
–IANS
sch/dan
