A proposed new set of rules for teachers in state run colleges and universities across West Bengal facing opposition with many terming it an attempt at censorship. According to the draft rules of the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulations) Act 2017, restrictions are likely to be imposed on employees in interacting with the media.

The 28-page draft copy of proposed new rules, accessed by India Today state: No employee of the University shall without the written permission of the Vice-Chancellor, publish anonymously or in his name or in the name of any other person in the press or in any electronic media, any documents or make any statement of fact or opinion that has the effect of any adverse criticism of any current policy or action of the State Government or the Central Government.

In the chapter titled "Bar In Communication Of Official Information", the proposal states that any "official information obtained in course in employment must not be communicated by any employee to any outsider or to the Press or electronic media without the written permission of the Vice- Chancellor. Violations of the provision of this statute shall entail disciplinary proceedings against the erring employee."

Teachers at Kolkata's Jadavpur University, a premiere state run institute has vehemently opposed the proposal. "There is nothing for the betterment of higher education in it. It has been formulated with the sole purpose of insulting the teachers, to bring them under the state control and curb their democratic and constitutional rights. Through this step the government is only trying to impose a gag on us," said Partha Pratim Ray of the Jadavpur University Teacher's Association (JUTA).

JUTA has also given a call for complete scrapping of the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulations) Act 2017 along with the proposed draft rules . "We shall oppose this and demand the scrapping of the original act along with the proposed draft," Ray said. To oppose the government's move, Left backed JUTA has given a call for demonstration at the university on April 26.

On its part, the state government has refuted the apprehensions of professors over a possible gag order. "The allegation that freedom of speech of university professors is being curbed is far from the truth. A blatant lie. We have made it clear that no such rule is being implemented," Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee has said.

In addition to the restrictions on media interactions, it also makes it mandatory for all staff members to seek a written permission from the vice-chancellor if they wish to publish any material that may not be purely literary, artistic or scientific in nature. The state government had set up a seven-member committee to draft the rules in accordance with the West Bengal Universities and College (Administration and Regulation) Act, 2017 which came into force after the the state assembly passed it in February 2017.

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