In a manifesto released ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, the All Bengal University Teachers Association (ABUTA), comprising Left-leaning college and university educators, has highlighted significant challenges facing the higher education sector. They allege that the National Education Policy 2020 and state-level decisions have exacerbated the crisis, notably through the introduction of a four-year undergraduate program without corresponding infrastructure improvements. The ABUTA reports that only 28.81% of the 9,36,215 available undergraduate seats in government colleges were filled this year, down from 4.44 lakh last year. The group accuses the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of implementing NEP 2020 while publicly opposing it, leading to increased privatization and commercialization of education. They also criticize the policy's focus on employability amidst rising unemployment. The manifesto calls for political parties that oppose these policies and urges voters to make informed choices in the upcoming elections.