This study examines the profound struggles of governance and democracy within West Bengal's higher education sector, where protracted conflicts between the Governor and the State government over Vice-Chancellor appointments have precipitated institutional instability, eroded academic standards, and undermined democratic principles. Drawing on mixed-methods research—including field visits to eight universities (e.g., Jadavpur, Kalyani, Vidyasagar), semi-structured interviews with stakeholders like Vice-Chancellors, faculty, and students from August 2023 to March 2024, quantitative data from AISHE reports revealing a Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of 26.3% (lagging national averages with stark disparities for SC/ST/OBC groups), and comparative case analyses—the paper highlights how political interference has left over 34 state-aided universities without permanent leadership for extended periods, as of late 2025, impacting 1.2 million students and fostering administrative paralysis. Key findings expose weakened institutional autonomy, diminished student activism (e.g., from historic movements like Hokkolorob to current marginalization), persistent educational inequities (e.g., ST GER at 11.6% vs. overall 21.3%), and suboptimal NAAC accreditation rates, exacerbated by legal interventions from the Supreme Court, including a U.U. Lalit-led committee resolving some appointments by January 2026. Despite initiatives like WBCAP and scholarships (SVMCM, Kanyashree), governance crises divert resources from NEP 2020 goals such as multidisciplinary education and 50% GER by 2035. The analysis critiques existing models against benchmarks from Kerala/Tamil Nadu and global frameworks (UNESCO, World Bank), advocating urgent reforms: enhanced autonomy with accountability via multi-stakeholder Boards, data-driven policies targeting district-level disparities, full NEP alignment, and promotion of democratic competences to restore universities as engines of equity, excellence, and societal development.