The General Council of the Institute consists of twenty-seven members. Two Eminent scholars with international reputation shall be, the President and the Vice-President of the General Council (Ex-Officio) respectively. The Director of the Institute is the Secretary of the General Council (Ex-officio). In the absence of the Director any member of the General Council nominated by the General Council shall act as the Secretary for such period of absence. The other members of the General Council shall be as follows:-

1. President
2. Vice-President
3. An eminent Scholar, Member
4. Secretary-Director-Ex-Officio.
5. Five (5) members of the Parliament to be nominated by the Government of West Bengal.
6. Three (3) members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly to be nominated by the Government of West Bengal.
7. Four (4) representatives from the Universities of the West Bengal:-

• Vice-Chancellor, University of Calcutta or his/her nominee.
• Vice-Chancellor, Jadavpur University or his/her nominee.
• Vice-Chancellor, Presidency University or his/her nominee.
• Vice-Chancellor, North Bengal University or his/her nominee

8. Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal or his/her nominee.

9. Principal Secretary, Department of Finance, Government of West Bengal or his/her nominee.

10. Director, Netaji Research Bureau or his/her nominee.

11. Director, National Library or his/her nominee.

12. President, Asiatic Society or his/her nominee.

13. Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture or his/her nominee.

14. Five (5) Educationists /Scholars to be nominated by the Government of West Bengal.

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL:

There shall be two kinds of general meetings – (i) Annual and (ii) Special Extraordinary.

1. The General Council shall hold a meeting at least once in every year and not more than 15 months shall elapse between two successive meetings. At least 15 days’ notice specifying the date, time and place shall be given to every member of the General Council. The Director of the Institute as Secretary shall act as Convener for the meetings of the General Council.
2. The quorum for transaction of any business at such meeting shall be one-third of the total number of members of the General Council.
3. The business to be transacted at the general meetings shall be as follows:-

• To confirm the minutes of the last annual meeting or of special meetings, if any;
• To adopt the report of the working of the Institute for the previous year;
• To pass Audited Accounts for the said year and to prepare and approve budget for the coming year;
• To conduct such other business as the Governing Body may place before the General Council.
• Special meeting of the General Council may be convened by the Secretary if the President directs to convene such meeting.

4. The President may call a meeting of the General Council on a written requisition of not less than nine members and such meeting shall be held within three weeks from the date of receipt of such requisition.

5. The tenure of the General Council will be a period of five years.