IIT-Kharagpur profs look to get didi on their side

The teachers’ association of IIT-Kharagpur has decided to take its fight against the Centre’s single entrance test move to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“The association has decided to write to the CM and seek her intervention,” said a faculty member of IIT-KGP. “Introducing the single entrance test for all the engineering colleges in the country from 2013 will ruin the entire IIT system.”

The state appeared ready to give the teachers a patient hearing. “Let the teachers write to us. Then we will decide,” West Bengal education minister Bratya Basu said on Monday.

Bengal has already objected to the HRD ministry’s single test formula, which recommends giving weight to marks secured in Class 12 board examinations. Securing high marks in the Bengal board examination is perceived to be more difficult in comparison to other boards.

The All India IIT Faculty Federation welcomed the IIT-KGP’s decision to write to Banerjee. “She plays an important part in national politics. If IIT-KGP teachers can make her understand the problem, we can expect her to take up the matter with the Centre,” said Atul Mittal, general secretary of the federation.

The teachers of IIT-KGP had tried to get in touch with the CM in April to discuss the issue, but had received no response.