V-Cs to be appointed by governor: UGC - Times Of India

The responsibility of appointing vice-chancellors of universities will now rest with the governor, as per a fresh notification issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The notification dated June 30 this year says that the final authority to appoint V-Cs will rest with the governor of each state. The notification also directs the state governments to make public their rules and regulations and criteria for the appointment of teachers, principals and V-Cs of universities in their state.

The states will be required to make these declarations within the time frame of six months, failing which they will be liable for action by the UGC.

Former education minister and syndicate member of the GU Narhari Amin said that this should put an end to the rampant political appointments to top positions by the state government which is known to place BJP office bearers as V-Cs.

Amin said that the state government should pull back the recent political appointments, like the appointment of Dr Mukul Shah as the pro V-C of Gujarat University. This appointment had come under scanner from the opposition as Dr Shah is an ex-mayor and is not a full time teacher with any university. The opposition Congress had also taken exception at the appointments of the V-Cs of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University and Saurashtra University, dubbing them as political appointments as both the V-Cs are close to either BJP or RSS.

"In view of the UGC notification, the state government should cancel all these three appointments", said Amin.

Meanwhile, principal education secretary Hasmukh Adhia said that his department has not received any such notification and he is not aware of the issue.