Bengals school lecturers union, as soon as led by luminaries together with S. Radhakrishnan, turning 100

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was not simply the second President of India; he additionally occurred to be the second president — the primary being Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray — of a Bengal-based school lecturers’ organisation that’s turning 100 and stays related within the tutorial ecosystem.

WBCUTA or West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association started its centenary celebrations on August 3 at Meghnad Saha auditorium in Rajabazar Science College and can proceed holding occasions all year long.

It was in February 1926 that the All Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association was arrange in Calcutta, its first session being held in August that 12 months, and it went on to perform below the management of a number of luminaries together with Dr. Radhakrishnan, Dr. C.V. Raman and Dr. Meghnad Saha, earlier than being renamed WBCUTA after Partition.

“Two options have at all times distinguished it from different organisations within the subject. One, it has at all times emphasised that it’s rather more than a commerce union of school lecturers. One, within the phrases of Prafulla Chandra Ray, it has put upfront the concept that training isn’t just a “britti” (vocation) however a “brata” (mission). Two, it has by no means been merely a entrance organisation of any specific political get together. Its government committee has at all times had representations from lecturers with numerous political views. These facets of the motion are as related right this moment because it was a century in the past,” Asis Kumar Banerjee, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Calcutta who inaugurated the centenary celebrations, instructed The Hindu.

‘A multi-tendency organisation’

What helps Prof. Banerjee’s assertion that WBCUTA has by no means been a entrance organisation of any specific political get together is its web site, which seems as if it belongs to a reputed college — in distinction to the homepage of WBCUPA, an analogous organisation began by the Trinamool Congress, which immediately throws up photos of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek and urges professors to affix the outfit.

“WBCUTA is a multi-tendency organisation — excessive Leftist to excessive Rightist, all are members of this organisation. Its predominant energy, like that of India, is Unity in Diversity. Democratic rights of the opposition are protected by the structure of WBCUTA. Perhaps that is the one organisation of our nation the place throughout government elections one-third of the full quantity is once more elected from the defeated panel to make sure illustration from all corners. Not solely that, taking referendum has been a typical follow for taking choice on actions and different points. This is little question a novel characteristic which had led to 100 years of wonderful journey,” mentioned Srutinath Praharaj, a former common secretary of WBCUTA.

“WBCUTA has a chronic historical past of combating corporate-communal forces. At current it has essential ideological-political in addition to tutorial duties to carry out. Today, within the context of rising offensive of casteist, communalist and regional disruptive forces, this process has assumed rising significance,” Dr. Praharaj mentioned.

Ishita Mukhopadhyay, a senior professor of Economics on the University of Calcutta and a member of WBCUTA for over 30 years, additionally emphasised that the affiliation, primarily based on a democratic construction, was not only a commerce union of lecturers preventing for their very own rights but additionally a frontal organisation working for the sake of upper training within the nation.

“Being part of this affiliation has given me belongingness to a bigger group. This has given me an area to argue, resist, snicker and cry. I bear in mind once we have been marching for our rights within the Nineteen Eighties demanding implementation of the Mehrotra Committee Report, we courted arrest. I had simply joined the occupation. Time has flown by; I’ve gained mates within the motion. WBCUTA is like house exterior house to me,” Prof. Mukhopadhyay mentioned.