Click to play videoKolkata: Kolkata's Presidency College is all set to become a university, almost two centuries after it was founded.
A bill to convert the Presidency College in Kolkata into an independent university will be tabled in the Winter Session of the state Assembly and students are delighted.
"It's like seventh heaven of delight," says one student Joyeeta.
"I am just so proud to be a part of this college," says another student Brinda.
Previous attempts to grant autonomy had been foiled allegedly by former Communist Party of India-Marxist apparatchiks who had converted Presidency College into a party stronghold.
But it's largely due to the efforts of CPI-M leader and Presidency alumnus Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that the legacy is about to change. A section of the college's illustrious alumni now serving the government, back the move.
"It's high time that we realised that the greatest cause of justice incorporates within itself not only the concept of equality but also a desire for excelling," says Municipal Affairs Secretary and Presidency alumnus Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
"I dearly hope and I think that this present change in policy is going to make a difference," says West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Debasish Sen.
The performance of its students at the recent university exams has been poor and many hope that at least now studies will finally take the front seat.
"The authority is going to change the syllabus somewhat and completely modernize the exam system and the evaluation process," says Presidency College Principal Professor Sanjib Ghosh.
Though well wishers of Presidency consider this a great start to a redemption for certain mistakes of the past, not all are confident about its much needed freedom from the clutches of narrow political interests because the future of Presidency lies not merely in its conversion to a university, but ensuring better administration with academic considerations as priority.
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