Latest news with #StateGovernment-run
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
West Bengal once again, without explanation, delays UG admission to colleges run and aided by it
The West Bengal government has once again, without explanation, extended the last date for admission to undergraduate courses in colleges run and aided by it, placing in limbo the future of thousands of students who are eagerly waiting to begin college life. In a circular issued on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) afternoon, the Department of Higher Education said that the last date for submitting applications through the centralised portal, already extended from July 1 to July 15, was being further extended to July 25. As it is there was a long delay in the opening of the centralised portal —introduced only last year — because West Bengal's list of communities eligible for reservation under OBC category is caught in a legal tangle and a hearing is expected in the Supreme Court towards the end of this month. The fresh extension has pushed back the admission process by almost a month so far, whereas first-year classes in many private and autonomous institutions are about to begin. 'The centralised admission portal has not collected 'category' details in accordance with the order of the Calcutta High Court dated June 17, which put an interim stay on a new list of OBC communities prepared by the State Government. As the special leave petition related to this matter is currently pending before the Supreme Court, proper data collection during the application process cannot be completed at this stage. The extension of the application deadline is primarily due to this legal situation,' a professor of a State Government-run college, who requested anonymity for himself and the college, said. 'While the extension (of the last date for form submission) may allow for a few additional applications, the increase is not expected to be significant. As a result, the admission process may be delayed, potentially affecting the teaching-learning schedule for the upcoming academic session,' the professor said. Many in academic circles are convinced that the delay in wrapping up the admission process is also because seats are not filling up sufficiently this year, primarily because many students are headed to private/autonomous institutions or to other States for higher education. Whatever the actual reason for this unspecified delay, the future of lakhs of students who finished school this year is in a limbo at the moment. 'As a working mother I am agonising over the fact that the process of admission is unlikely to end in July whereas other institutions representing minorities or which do not fall under the purview of centralised portal are conducting their admission tests and have declared that the first semester classes will start from August 1. Many parents like me have been forced to make our children secure a seat in these colleges for the time being even though we would ideally like them to study in a reputed government college,' said a State Government employee whose daughter has registered with the centralised portal and at the same time applied in a reputed Kolkata-based private institution. 'The State Government should have resolved the OBC reservation issue before the centralised portal went live. Parents have no clue how long the admission process will take to be complete and whether the children should simultaneously apply in private colleges, where education is far more expensive. This delay is creating unnecessary anxiety and annoyance for parents,' the employee said, requesting not to be named.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Kolkata's top government hospital launches anti-drug addiction campaign with Central help
One of the top State Government-run medical institutions in Kolkata, SSKM Hospital, has launched a big drug abuse prevention campaign — starting with Kolkata and then moving to other parts of West Bengal — to curb high prevalence of addiction among the youth and prison inmates. The programme, carried out by the Psychiatric Social Work department of the hospital and supported by the Central Government, began on April 17 and six programmes have been held so far in Kolkata, Howrah and Barrackpore. 'The initiative was launched to not only curb rising substance abuse, particularly among adolescents and in correctional homes, but also to equip stakeholders with tools to identify, prevent, and address the problem,' Mayank Kumar, assistant professor at the department who is anchoring the campaign, said. According to Mr. Kumar, the target of the programme during the six drives held so far was to reach 150 participants, but it successfully reached 602 participants, including residents and officers of correctional homes, police officers, customs and airport officials, officers of Narcotic Control Bureau, NGOs, students, de-addiction specialists, counsellors, youths, parents, teachers, health professionals, and social workers. 'Although it may no longer dominate headlines, drug abuse remains a pressing concern in West Bengal. The region struggles with cross-border drug trafficking, especially of opioids like heroin. The national opioid usage rate stands at 2.1%, with Bengal experiencing a significant share due to its geographic vulnerability,' Mr. Kumar told The Hindu. 'Recent data indicates that about 9% of inmates in correctional homes are addicted to substances in West Bengal. This prevalence is concerning, especially in the context of overcrowded prisons and limited rehabilitation resources. Studies indicate that about 50% of prisoners in India suffer from substance use disorders — and this excludes tobacco use.,' he added. Mr. Kumar said the primary causes of substance abuse among the young included peer pressure and curiosity, disconnect with family, and relationship issues. The challenges in dealing with the problem, he said, was the lack of awareness in caregivers and teachers about early signs of addiction, inadequate access to health professionals and de-addiction services in many districts, and glamorised portrayals of drug use in pop culture and social media. 'Our programme advocates school-based interventions that go beyond lectures — leveraging storytelling, peer leadership, and practical mental health education; early screening and accessible counselling services to be embedded in educational institutions; promotion of vocational training, sports, and creative expression to give youth a sense of purpose and belonging; and encouragement of stronger family involvement and community-based intervention to nurture social safety nets,' Mr. Kumar said.
