West Bengal passes bill allowing inter-university transfer of teachers and staff

The West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has been passed in the assembly today. The bill allows the transfer of teaching and non-teaching staff from one state university to another, as and when required.

The Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in West Bengal tabled the draft amendment bill in the assembly.

The transfers of teachers from one college to another are common for government college teachers, but the provisions provided did not currently extend to university teachers.

The West Bengal universities amendment bill was approved by the state cabinet on September 8 and sought to add one provision in Section 14A of the existing 2017 Act, allowing transfer of teachers and non-teaching employees between state universities.

West Bengal inter-university transfer bill

In the one-day special session of the assembly, CM Adhikari described the Bill as "important", tabled by higher education minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay during the state assembly.

"Notwithstanding anything contained in any contract, agreement or in any other law for the time being in force and the conditions of service applicable to the employees of the University, the Chancellor may, in consultation with the State Government, for administrative reasons, transfer any employee holding any post in a University to any other University established under any law made by the State Legislature for the time being in force and the employee so transferred shall carry with him such conditions of service as may be specified in the order of transfer," the WB Gazette reads.

The bill allows the university chancellor to move an employee from one university to another, holding any post, for administrative reasons, after consulting the state government. Notably, the employee will have the option to either hold onto their original post or agree to join the new university.

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Opportunity for teachers, says Bengal CM

Adhikari further added that this is a "historic" move, which has been opposed by various teachers' associations and academics, calling it an apprehension of "autonomy compromise" of the institutions and chances of "selective targeting" of teachers.

While talking about the bill, the state CM said that the bill will offer an opportunity for experienced professors to go to the new universities and guide them on infrastructure improvements and requirements, conduct of classes, and ways to turn them into centres of excellence.

The "experienced teachers" will be transferred to new universities established in "places like Jhargram and Cooch Behar and will ensure the exchange of human resources", the CM added.