Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was not simply the second President of India; he additionally occurred to be the second president — the primary being Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray — of a Bengal-based faculty academics’ organisation that’s turning 100 and stays related within the educational ecosystem.

WBCUTA or West Bengal School and College Lecturers’ Affiliation started its centenary celebrations on August 3 at Meghnad Saha auditorium in Rajabazar Science School and can proceed holding occasions all year long.

It was in February 1926 that the All Bengal School and College Lecturers’ Affiliation was arrange in Calcutta, its first session being held in August that 12 months, and it went on to perform underneath the management of a number of luminaries together with Dr. Radhakrishnan, Dr. C.V. Raman and Dr. Meghnad Saha, earlier than being renamed WBCUTA after Partition.

“Two options have at all times distinguished it from different organisations within the area. One, it has at all times emphasised that it’s way more than a commerce union of faculty academics. One, within the phrases of Prafulla Chandra Ray, it has put upfront the concept that training isn’t just a “britti” (vocation) however a “brata” (mission). Two, it has by no means been merely a entrance organisation of any specific political get together. Its government committee has at all times had representations from academics with various political opinions. These features of the motion are as related as we speak because it was a century in the past,” Asis Kumar Banerjee, former Vice-Chancellor of College of Calcutta who inaugurated the centenary celebrations, instructed The Hindu.

‘A multi-tendency organisation’

What helps Prof. Banerjee’s assertion that WBCUTA has by no means been a entrance organisation of any specific political get together is its web site, which appears to be like as if it belongs to a reputed college — in distinction to the homepage of WBCUPA, an analogous organisation began by the Trinamool Congress, which immediately throws up photographs of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek and urges professors to hitch the outfit.

“WBCUTA is a multi-tendency organisation — excessive Leftist to excessive Rightist, all are members of this organisation. Its fundamental power, like that of India, is Unity in Variety. Democratic rights of the opposition are protected by the structure of WBCUTA. Maybe that is the one organisation of our nation the place throughout government elections one-third of the entire quantity is once more elected from the defeated panel to make sure illustration from all corners. Not solely that, taking referendum has been a standard follow for taking determination on actions and different points. That is little question a novel characteristic which had led to 100 years of superb journey,” stated Srutinath Praharaj, a former common secretary of WBCUTA.

“WBCUTA has a protracted historical past of combating corporate-communal forces. At current it has vital ideological-political in addition to educational duties to carry out. As we speak, within the context of rising offensive of casteist, communalist and regional disruptive forces, this job has assumed growing significance,” Dr. Praharaj stated.

Ishita Mukhopadhyay, a senior professor of Economics on the College of Calcutta and a member of WBCUTA for over 30 years, additionally emphasised that the affiliation, based mostly on a democratic construction, was not only a commerce union of academics combating for their very own rights but in addition a frontal organisation working for the sake of upper training within the nation.

“Being part of this affiliation has given me belongingness to a bigger group. This has given me an area to argue, resist, snort and cry. I bear in mind once we have been marching for our rights within the Eighties demanding implementation of the Mehrotra Committee Report, we courted arrest. I had simply joined the career. Time has flown by; I’ve gained mates within the motion. WBCUTA is like residence exterior residence to me,” Prof. Mukhopadhyay stated.