1,000 colleges, 38 universities in West Bengal unaccredited

West Bengal is facing a significant higher education crisis, with 1,000 colleges and 38 universities lacking accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The Centre revealed these figures in Parliament on Wednesday. The state has a total of 1,514 colleges and 58 universities. However, only 514 colleges and 20 universities have received NAAC accreditation. This situation raises concerns about the quality of higher education available to students in West Bengal. BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya highlights the importance of NAAC accreditation for ensuring quality education and access to funding. He criticized the state government for not doing enough to help these institutions gain accreditation despite efforts like waiving fees for government colleges. Education issues in West Bengal have been compounded by allegations of teacher recruitment scams and protests. Union Minister of State for Education Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, who answered Bhattacharya's question, also criticized the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for neglecting the education system. He called for immediate action to improve conditions for students, stressing they deserve better educational opportunities and infrastructure.