What is the New University Plan for Asutosh College Campus?

If you attend Asutosh College, there might be a lot of talk about a new university being built on your campus. So, what's happening exactly? How will this affect you as a student? It seems that the Asutosh College campus in Kolkata will be upgraded to a university after the West Bengal Assembly elections. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already agreed in principle.
The principals of all three colleges (Asutosh College, Syamaprasad College and Jogamaya Devi College) have presented a detailed proposal to the state government regarding the creation of this new university. At this time, all three colleges will remain part of Calcutta University; however, once the elections are completed, the processes will begin.

What is the Plan for Asutosh College Campus?

If you're confused about what the future plans for Asutosh College are, do not be concerned. The proposal is not to close or merge the three colleges, but rather to keep them as separate constituent colleges of a new university. Asutosh College , Syamaprasad College and Jogamaya Devi College all share the same campus and have long-standing histories of academic excellence. So, basically, the concept is to have the Asutosh College campus upgraded into a complete university, so that students can continue studying in the same colleges they are familiar with, but under a new university setup.

Manas Kabi, Principal of Asutosh College, says the idea is to carry on the legacy of all three colleges. “Our proposal is that a new university be set up, with Asutosh, Syamaprasad and Jogamaya Devi as constituent colleges. This will protect their identity and past,” he said. The colleges want this new university to have the freedom to design more job‑oriented, skill‑based courses, including professional courses such as law.​

Reasons Behind the New University Plan for Asutosh College Campus

The majority of students like you must have questions about why this change is being proposed and what prompted the colleges to take this step. So, these are some of the reasons behind the proposal:

• The principals believe that the three colleges already have a strong reputation and are performing well in higher education.

• They also have access to enough land and resources needed for expansion. Asutosh College has land in Joka, Jogamaya Devi has land in Sonarpur, and Syamaprasad College is also trying to acquire land. With these spaces, they feel that they can develop new buildings and facilities for the new university.​

• Many students and teachers believe that this change could bring more independence, better research facilities, and courses that match current job market needs.

Syamaprasad College principal Apurbo Chakraborty said setting up a university will give them more freedom to design modern, new‑age courses. “This is a significant achievement and will give us the freedom to design new‑age courses,” he said.

What About the Voices of Concern?

It's important that you keep in mind that there are multiple viewpoints on this matter, and not everyone supports it completely. Justice Chittatosh Mookerjee, grandson of Asutosh Ghosh (and nephew of Syama Prasad Mookerjee), believes that we should preserve the character of these historic colleges, saying, “Instead of creating new universities, we need to improve upon the existing ones.” He feels new universities should not simply be created for advertising purposes.
On the other hand, Prof. Asutosh Ghosh from Calcutta University stated that should these three colleges leave the university, they would not negatively impact our institution. “Previously, there were many colleges, such as Presidency, that left Calcutta University." If these three colleges leave, they wouldn’t have a significant detrimental influence.” He goes on to explain how the majority of the colleges favor either unitary universities or autonomy because they wish for increased control over their programs and job development programs.

New University Plan for Asutosh College Campus: What Happens Next?

The state government will continue to pause all proceedings related to this proposal until after the completion of the Assembly elections. CM Mamata Banerjee has assured school principals that she will review the situation after the elections and determine what actions should be taken based on the results. Once the state has approved establishing an independent university in your region, you can anticipate further steps such as obtaining University Grants Commission (UGC) approval, finalizing the university's name and organizational structure, and appointing a governing body.
Rest assured that there will not be an immediate impact on you or your current programme of study; there will be no changes to your courses or methods of assessment; and any significant change from one form of educational delivery to another will require time and formal action. At present, your best approach is to remain up-to-date on the developments regarding this proposal. Should the proposal move forward, students in your region should ultimately benefit from additional course selection, improved academic freedom, and enhanced long-term career opportunities, and the identity of your college will remain intact