Filling VC posts: UGC yet to name members for search committees

Posts lying vacant in four universities in the State since July 2014

The University Grants Commission (UGC) delaying nomination of its members to search committees appears to have become a stumbling block for filling the posts of Vice-Chancellor of four universities in Karnataka.

The posts of Vice-Chancellor of Gulbarga, Kuvempu (Shimoga), Krishnadevaraya (Bellary) and Rani Channamma (Belgaum) universities have been vacant since July 2014. Governor Vajubhai Vala, who is the Chancellor of Universities, has now advised the Higher Education Department to write to the UGC to nominate its members to the search committees for recommendations to these posts. The process came to a standstill after the term of the former Governor H.R. Bhardwaj ended in August.

Higher Education Minister R.V. Deshpande said the State had set up search panels and was waiting for the UGC to nominate its members. Each committee will have four members — nominees of the government, the respective university, the Governor and the UGC. The government, the Governor and the universities concerned have nominated their members. “But, unfortunately the UGC is not taking any interest in nominating its members,” he regretted.

The practice was to complete the process of filling the post before the retirement of incumbent Vice-Chancellor. The department was aware of the administrative problems being faced by the universities in the absence of the Vice-Chancellor. “I have written to the UGC to expedite the process of appointing members and also appealed the Union Minister for Human Resources Development to intervene in the matter,” the Minister said.

On whether or not the government would table the Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admission and Determination of Fee) Act, 2006, in the winter session of the Assembly, Mr. Deshpande said consultations were on with all stakeholders, including managements of private professional educational institutions, student bodies and political parties. “The issue will be discussed in the Cabinet before taking a decision on tabling the Bill in the coming session,” he added.