The Hindu : Karnataka News : Lobbying on for top post in RGUHS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 18, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Lobbying on for top post in RGUHS

By Rasheed Kappan

Government finalises search committee

`The selection of a Vice-Chancellor has become a high stakes game unlike in the past when academic credentials were the only significant consideration. Outstanding researchers and scientists used to be the contenders. It is not the case anymore.'

BANGALORE: The heat is on at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS). With barely six weeks for the Vice-Chancellor, R. Chandrashekhara's tenure to end, lobbying for the post has switched to top gear. Building up the momentum, the State Government has reportedly finalised a search committee to zero in on the right candidate.

The contenders for the coveted post are many. Reportedly, the Vice-Chancellor is himself in the race for a second term. After a close finish last time, the registrar, K.M. Sreenivasa Gowda, is trying again. Incidentally, the names of Dr. Gowda, the former Vice-Chancellor, Chandrashekhar Shetty, and the retired Superintendent of Lady Curzon and Bowring Hospital, Chandramma, were recommended by the search committee for the post three years ago.

This time's list of contenders includes the former RGUHS Registrar (Evaluation), R.K. Raju; the Head of the Department of Medicine, Bangalore Medical College, Dr. Chandramma; the Superintendent of the Bowring Hospital, N. Chandrashekhar; and the Head of the Gynaecology Department of the Vani Vilas Hospital, Dhananjaya.

The contenders' list is likely to swell. Three years ago, before Dr. Chandrashekhara emerged as the surprise winner, 252 aspirants were in the race. "With considerations such as caste, political influence, regional interests and money playing a bigger role, it is very difficult to predict the winner or even the front-runners," sources told The Hindu.

The reported finalisation of the search committee has only added to the drama. The committee is said to include Shyamsundar, former Vice-Chancellor of the N.T.R. University of Health Sciences (the equivalent of RGUHS for Andhra Pradesh); Mohandas, Director of the Thiruvananthapuram-based Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences; the former State Finance Secretary, Gopal Reddy; and Dr. Chandrashekhar Shetty, the sources said.

The names finalised by the committee will be submitted to the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the university. A candidate for the post is likely to be finalised by May 15.

With 16 disciplines and 577 affiliated institutions, including 32 medical, 40 dental, 277 nursing, 47 ayurveda and 44 pharmacy colleges, the RGUHS has grown in stature and size since its inception in 1996. A combined student-strength of 57,000 makes it one of the largest universities in the world. This growth has only added to the significance of the Vice-Chancellor's post, which has a rank equal to that of a Minister.

S.K. Kantha was the university's first Vice-Chancellor. She served from 1996 to 1999. She was succeeded by Dr. Chandrashekhar Shetty, who served from 1999 to 2002 before Dr. Chandrashekhara took over. Dr. Kantha and Dr. Shetty tried unsuccessfully for an extension.

The sources said the selection of a Vice-Chancellor has become a high stakes game unlike in the past when academic credentials were the only significant consideration. "Outstanding researchers and scientists used to be the contenders. It is not the case anymore," said an official involved with academics.

A strong contender for the post said that he stood a chance if the committee went only by the merit and academic background of each candidate. "Let them find that out from reliable people. Only then something fair will come out," he said.

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