In a significant turn of events, Vidyasagar University has disclosed a long-withheld Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yunan Minzu University of China. This development comes nearly nine years after the initial agreement was signed and almost a decade after the MoU remained unimplemented and shrouded in secrecy. The MoU, signed on 25 November, 2014, by ViceChancellor Mr. Swapan Kumar Pramanick, was intended to promote international exchanges and cooperation between the two institutions.
The agreement outlined provisions for faculty and administrative staff exchanges, collaborative scientific research, academic activities, and student exchanges. However, despite the promising terms, the MoU failed to yield any tangible benefits or activities for Vidyasagar University. On 15 October, 2015, Professor Abhijit Guha of the Department of Anthropology, in an effort to shed light on the dormant agreement, filed a Right to Information (RTI) application seeking details of the MoU.
However, his request was denied by the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of Vidyasagar University, Dr. Arun Kumar Maiti. In a letter dated 6 November, 2015, Dr. Maiti classified the information as a “Classified item” and stated that it “does not serve the larger public interest,” thereby rejecting the RTI application. This refusal was echoed by the West Bengal Information Commission, which, in a memo dated 5 June, 2024, underlined that such queries did not serve any larger public interest. The Commission referenced Dr. Guha’s RTI application dated 15 October, 2015, in its observation, reinforcing the university’s stance on withholding the information.
The situation took a dramatic turn when, on 31 July, 2024, the SPIO of Vidyasagar University, Dr. Sukhen Som, directed by the Registrar and Appellate Authority of Vidyasagar University, finally responded to Dr. Guha’s nearly nine-year-old RTI application. The SPIO provided Dr. Guha with a copy of the MoU, bringing an end to years of bureaucratic obfuscation. Despite this disclosure, the revelation confirmed that the MoU had remained inactive and unproductive for Vidyasagar University.
The agreement, which had initially promised to enhance international collaboration and academic exchange, had not been implemented, yielding no benefits for the university or its stakeholders. A VU professor said, “This case highlights the challenges faced in obtaining transparency and accountability in public institutions. It also underscores the perseverance of individuals like Dr. Abhijit Guha, whose unwavering efforts have finally brought this long-buried issue to light. The disclosure serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency in fostering trust and accountability within educational institutions.”