WBUHS to shortlist 3 candidates for VC post

The West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS), which was established in 2003 in an effort to bring parity in the medical education system in West Bengal, has had the post of its Vice Chancellor vacant since August 2020.

Now, according to a recent report by the Statesman, a selection committee, headed by Dr. Susanta Banerjee, sat on a meeting to shortlist 3 names out of 10 potential contenders for the post. Dr. Banerjee is the former director of Medical Education (DME) at WBUHS. The five-member selection panel also includes state higher education minister Bratya Basu, Dr Nirmal Majhi, Trinamul Congress MLA and president of West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC), N S Nigam, principal secretary of the health department, and a representative of the National Medical Commission (NMC). They will recommend 3 names to the state government, which in turn, will select one candidate for the post of VC.

The former VC was Dr.Rajendra Pandey, a nephrologist who was attached with the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research (IPGME&R) as well SSKM Hospital. Pro-VC Dr Kakoli Bose Roy used to look after the VC's jobs as an acting VC till 18 July. But the health department did not renew her as an acting VC after 18 July.

Before the establishment of the West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS), undergraduate and postgraduate level medical teaching in different state medical colleges of West Bengal was supervised by various state universities. This caused a huge disparity between different state medical colleges of West Bengal in terms of teaching and learning process, nature and standards of the evaluation, and most significantly; the recognition of the graduates from the different universities. So all the stakeholders of medical education in the state felt the need for bringing parity in the medical education system.