New Delhi

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday criticised Mamata Banerjee, alleging that years of neglect under her leadership had weakened institutions in West Bengal and that she was uneasy over growing calls for their revival.

The sharp exchange followed Banerjee’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remarks on Jadavpur University, which she said insulted one of the country’s premier academic institutions.

In a post on X, Pradhan said Banerjee seemed more disturbed by demands for institutional renewal than by the present condition of such bodies under her government. He said Modi had only spoken of restoring the dignity and academic excellence once associated with Bengal’s respected institutions.

Referring to an expert committee set up by the University Grants Commission after the death of a first-year student at Jadavpur University, Pradhan said the panel had found the anti-ragging system weak and ineffective. According to him, the report also pointed to serious administrative lapses, negligence and lack of accountability.

He claimed the committee concluded that institutional safeguards had eroded, governance had become ineffective and the university system had failed to respond with the seriousness expected of a leading institution.

Pradhan further said the findings were so serious that the panel recommended a 10 per cent cut in the university’s capital and recurring grants for alleged non-compliance with UGC norms.

The minister also accused the ruling All India Trinamool Congress government of showing little willingness to address deeper structural problems. He alleged campuses in the state were too often viewed through the lens of political influence rather than academic responsibility.

He said what had unsettled Banerjee was not criticism, but the possibility that Bengal’s people were beginning to recognise how politics had damaged institutions once admired far beyond the state.

Earlier on Friday, Banerjee, addressing a rally in Howrah, said Modi had insulted not only Jadavpur University but also institutions such as University of Calcutta, Presidency University and St Xavier's University. She said these universities were known for academic excellence and had produced talented students, researchers and scholars.

Banerjee urged the Prime Minister to check the National Institutional Ranking Framework rankings of Jadavpur University and Calcutta University before making such comments. She described his remarks as anti-Bengal and opposed to free thinking.

At a poll rally, Modi had accused the TMC government of damaging Bengal’s identity through corruption and infiltration, and said premier institutions like Jadavpur University had become symbols of disorder and political intimidation.

He said the university, once respected for academic values, had become associated with threats and forced protests. Modi also alleged anti-national slogans were appearing on campus walls and students were being drawn into agitation instead of studies.

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The Prime Minister said Bengal needed a healthy academic environment based on dialogue rather than intimidation.