Bengal’s college teachers’ union, once led by luminaries including S. Radhakrishnan, turning 100

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was not just the second President of India; he also happened to be the second president — the first being Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray — of a Bengal-based college teachers’ organisation that is turning 100 and remains relevant in the academic ecosystem.

WBCUTA or West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association began its centenary celebrations on August 3 at Meghnad Saha auditorium in Rajabazar Science College and will continue holding events throughout the year.

It was in February 1926 that the All Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association was set up in Calcutta, its first session being held in August that year, and it went on to function under the leadership of several luminaries including Dr. Radhakrishnan, Dr. C.V. Raman and Dr. Meghnad Saha, before being renamed WBCUTA after Partition.

“Two features have always distinguished it from other organisations in the field. One, it has always emphasised that it is much more than a trade union of college teachers. One, in the words of Prafulla Chandra Ray, it has put upfront the idea that education is not just a “britti” (vocation) but a “brata” (mission). Two, it has never been merely a front organisation of any particular political party. Its executive committee has always had representations from teachers with diverse political beliefs. These aspects of the movement are as relevant today as it was a century ago,” Asis Kumar Banerjee, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Calcutta who inaugurated the centenary celebrations, told The Hindu.

‘A multi-tendency organisation’

What supports Prof. Banerjee’s statement that WBCUTA has never been a front organisation of any particular political party is its website, which looks as if it belongs to a reputed university — in contrast to the homepage of WBCUPA, a similar organisation started by the Trinamool Congress, which instantly throws up images of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek and urges professors to join the outfit.

“WBCUTA is a multi-tendency organisation — extreme Leftist to extreme Rightist, all are members of this organisation. Its main strength, like that of India, is Unity in Diversity. Democratic rights of the opposition are protected by the constitution of WBCUTA. Perhaps this is the only organisation of our country where during executive elections one-third of the total number is again elected from the defeated panel to ensure representation from all corners. Not only that, taking referendum has been a common practice for taking decision on movements and other issues. This is no doubt a unique feature which had led to 100 years of glorious journey,” said Srutinath Praharaj, a former general secretary of WBCUTA.

“WBCUTA has a prolonged history of combating corporate-communal forces. At present it has important ideological-political as well as academic tasks to perform. Today, in the context of growing offensive of casteist, communalist and regional disruptive forces, this task has assumed increasing importance,” Dr. Praharaj said.

Ishita Mukhopadhyay, a senior professor of Economics at the University of Calcutta and a member of WBCUTA for over 30 years, also emphasised that the association, based on a democratic structure, was not just a trade union of teachers fighting for their own rights but also a frontal organisation working for the sake of higher education in the country.

“Being a part of this association has given me belongingness to a larger community. This has given me a space to argue, resist, laugh and cry. I remember when we were marching for our rights in the 1980s demanding implementation of the Mehrotra Committee Report, we courted arrest. I had just joined the profession. Time has flown by; I have gained friends in the movement. WBCUTA is like home outside home to me,” Prof. Mukhopadhyay said.