The Visva-Bharati Act, 1951

(1) This Act may be called the Visva-Bharati Act, 1951. (2) It shall come into force on such date1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

Whereas the lateRabindranath Tagore (Thakur) founded an institution known as Visva-Bharati at Santiniketan in thedistrict of Birbhum in West Bengal the objects of which are such as to make the institution one of nationalimportance, it is hereby declared that the institution known as "Visva-Bharati" aforesaid is an institutionof national importance 1[and is as such hereby constituted as a University].

1[3. Definitions.--In this Act, and in all Statutes made hereunder, unless the context otherwiserequires,-- (a) "academic staff" means such categories of staff as are designated as academic staff by thestatutes; (b) "Acharya (Chancellor)" and "Upacharya (Vice- Chancellor)" mean, respectively, the Acharya(Chancellor) and the Upacharya (Vice-Chancellor) of the University; (c) "adhyapaka" includes a Professor, Reader, Lecturer and any other person engaged inimparting instruction in relation to any learning process and designated as an adhyapaka by theOrdinances; (d) "Alumni Association" means the Association of the Alumni of the University, constitutedunder the provisions of this Act and the Statutes; (e) "approved institution" means an institution (not being an institution maintained by theUniversity) of higher learning or studies approved by the University; (f) "Bhavana" means an academic institution maintained by the University and named as such; (g) "campus" means a unit established or constituted by the University for imparting instructionor supervising research, or both; (h) "Chatravaso" means a unit of residence, or of corporate life, for the students of the Universityprovided, maintained or recognised by the University; (i) "Department" means a Department of Studies and includes a centre of studies established by,or under, the Statutes; (j) "employee of the University" means any person appointed by the University or any Institution,and includes an employee of a Bhavana; (k) "Institute Board" means a Board constituted by the University for the management of anInstitute; (l) "Institution" means an institution maintained by the University; (m) "Karma-Samiti (Executive Council)" means the Karma-Samiti (Executive Council) of theUniversity; (n) "Patha-Samiti (Board of Studies)" means a Board constituted by the University for theregulation of studies; (o) "prescribed" means prescribed by the Statutes, Ordinances or Regulations; (p) "Samsad (Court)" means the Samsad (Court) of the University; (q) "Siksha-Samiti (Academic Council)" means the Siksha-Samiti (Academic council) of theUniversity; (r) "Statutes", "Ordinances" and "Regulations" mean, respectively, such Statutes, Ordinances andRegulations of the University as are for the time being in force; (s) "University" means the institution known as Visva- Bharati and incorporated as a Universityunder this Act.]

The first Acharya (Chancellor) and Upacharya (Vice-Chancellor) of theUniversity who shall be the persons appointed in this behalf by the Central Government by notification inthe Official Gazette, and the first members of the Samsad (Court) and all persons, who may hereafterbecome or be appointed as such officers or members, so long as they continue to hold such office ormembership, are hereby constituted a body corporate 1[as a unitary, teaching and residential University]by the name of Visva-Bharati, and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal, and shall sue andbe sued by that name.

On and from the commencement ofthis Act,-- (i) all references in any enactment to the Society of the name of Visva-Bharati registered on the16th May, 1922, under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860), shall be construed asreferences to the University; 1[(ii) all property, assets, rights and liabilities of the said Society shall be the property, assets,rights and liabilities of the University and any will, deed or other document, whether made orexecuted before or after the commencement of this Act, which contains or purports to contain anybequest, gift, trust, payment of money or transfer or assignment of any right or property, movable orimmovable, in favour of the said Society shall be construed as if the University was therein namedinstead of the said Society;] (iii) subject to the provisions of this Act, every person employed immediately before thecommencement of this Act in the said Society shall hold employment in the University by the sametenure and upon the same terms and conditions and with the same rights and privileges as to pensionand gratuity as he would have held under the said Society, if this Act had not been passed: Provided that if the University decides to alter the terms and conditions of service of any suchemployee, a fresh contract shall be executed for the purpose, and if the employee is not agreeable to serveunder the new terms and conditions, his services may be terminated in accordance with his originalcontract of employment or, if no provision is made therein in this behalf, on payment to him by way ofcompensation of an amount equal to his salary for six months.