The latest decision of the West Bengal College Service Commission to allow qualified teachers to choose the colleges where they would like to teach is being criticised by many.

The critics say that such a move will deprive students in Bengal’s rural colleges from getting talented teachers as the meritorious ones would choose the urban colleges.

Tarun Naskar, general secretary of All Bengal College University Teachers Association, said qualified candidates would not like to go to rural areas if they have the option of working in colleges in cities and towns.

He said teachers who want to do research work avoid getting posted in rural areas as colleges there don’t have adequate infrastructure. “Moreover, the teachers in colleges located in far off places feel left out,” Naskar added.

Himanshu Sekhar Ghosh, the chairman of West Bengal College Service Commission, admitted that most of the candidates always prefer to serve in colleges located in urban areas. “On one hand we have given more freedom to qualified candidates by allowing them to teach in colleges of their choice and on the other hand colleges in far- off rural areas will not be able to attract good teachers,” said Ghosh

According to the chairman of the Commission, the reason behind taking such a decision was the increase in the number of litigations filed by meritorious candidates. “The successful candidates go to the court pleading that why they were asked to join in colleges in rural areas when there were vacancies in colleges located in towns and cities,” said Ghosh.

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