West Bengal State Council of Higher Education Act, 2015
No: 10 Dated: Jun, 29 2015
THE WEST BENGAL STATE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION ACT, 2015
West Bengal Act X of 2015
An Act to provide for further reformation of functions, management and control of the State Council of Higher Education in West Bengal and matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
WHEREAS it is expedient to undertake the reform of the powers, functions and management of the State Council of Higher Education in West Bengal, keeping in view the guidelines laid down by the University Grants Commission for maintaining the standards of teaching, examination and research in Universities and affiliated colleges in West Bengal, with a view to enhancing the performance of the higher educational institutions in the State and strengthen the planning and co-ordination of education programmes in higher education so as to (a) fulfill the rising needs of the society, (b) undertake planned expansion, (c) channelize higher education in the right directions considering the socio-economic needs of the country and academic requirements and, finally, (d ) act as an advisory-body, a policy think-tank for making recommendations to the State Government on any matter relating to higher education in the State;
AND WHEREAS it is also expedient that the State Council of Higher Education should act as a monitoring body for maintaining academic standards in the Higher Educational institutions of the State and foster a bridge between the State and the Universities as well as-the-colleges-and-to- advise the State Government for taking appropriate steps therein;
It is hereby enacted in the Sixty-sixth year of the Republic of India, by the Legislature of the West Bengal, as follows:—
CHAPTER I
Preliminary
1. Short title, extent and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education Act, 2015.
(2) It shall extend to the whole of the State of West Bengal.
(3) It shall come into effect at once.
2. Definitions:- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(1) "Academic Performance Ranking" means the ranking as may be determined and awarded on the basis of academic standard of a college or of a University by the Council;
(2) "Academic year" means the period in a calendar year throughout which academic instructions have been given to the students;
(3) "All India Council for Technical Education" means the Council established under the All India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987;
(4) "Association of Indian Universities" means the Association of Indian Universities, a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 having its headquarter at New Delhi;
(5) "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Council;
(6) "Council" means the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education;
(7) "College" means an educational institution, affiliated to a University, imparting higher education beyond 10+2 level, in any branch of study;
(8) "Distance Education Council" means the Distance Education Council established under Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985;
(9) "Degree" means a degree in arts, science, commerce, fine-arts, engineering, technology, management, law or in any other subject recognized by a University, and includes a post-graduate or a Research Degree;
(10) "Government-aided College" means the College which is receiving periodical pay packet from the State Government and includes such other College which is receiving either periodical grants in any form or land or subsidized leased land or of any other assistance from the State Government in any form, and also includes minority colleges receiving pay packet from the State Government;
(11) "Government-aided University" means a University constituted and incorporated under any Act of State Legislature, which is receiving financial grant or assistance from the State Government in any form;
(12) "Government College" means a College fully administered and maintained by the State Government;
(13) "Governor" means the Governor of the State of West Bengal;
(14) "Higher Education" means an education beyond 10+2 system of study;
(15) "Higher Educational Institution" shall mean and include a College or a University or any other Institution imparting education beyond 10+2+3 system;
(16) "Member Secretary" means the Member Secretary of the Council, to be appointed by the State Government, by order;
(17) "Minority College" means a College run and administered by a minority, whether based on religion or language, and as may be declared and approved as such by the State Government or by any other appropriate authority;
(18) "Prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(19) "Regulation" means the regulation made by the Council with the approval of the State Government;
(20) "Private College" means the college which is run and administered by a private body not receiving any grants from the State Government;
(21) "Private University" means the University which is not receiving grants or aid from the State Government in any form and which is established and incorporated by an Act of State Legislature;
(22) "Regulatory Body" means—
(i) a body established by the Central Government for laying down norms and conditions for ensuring academic standards of higher education in its designated areas of coverage, such as University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Department of Science and Technology, Distance Education Council, Indian Council of Scientific Research, National Assessment and Accreditation Council, National Board of Accreditation, National Council for Teacher Education, Bar Council of India, Council of Architecture, Rehabilitation Council of India and such other statutory body as may be established by the Central Government for the purpose of imparting higher education; and
(ii) the Stale Government in the Higher Education Department;
(23) "State Government" means the Government of West Bengal in the Higher Education Department;
(24) "Teacher of College" means a Professor, an Associate Professor or an Assistant Professor holding a permanent substantive teaching post in a College;
(25) "Teacher of University" means a Professor, an Associate Professor or an Assistant Professor, holding a permanent substantive teaching post in a University;
(26) "University Grants Commission" shall mean the University Grants Commission established under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956;
(27) "University" means a University constituted by an Act of State Legislature.
(28) "Vice-Chairman (Administration)" means the Vice-Chairman (Administration) of the Council;
(29) "Vice-Chairman (Academic)" means the Vice-Chairman (Academic) of the Council, who shall be appointed by the State Government by order.