Karnataka - Bijapur   

Out-going Vice-Chancellor recommends herself for committee

BIJAPUR: There is no sign of the early constitution of a search committee to find a successor to Vice-Chancellor of Karnataka State Women’s University (KSWU), Syeda Akhtar, who will lay down office on October 26.

As per the Section 14 (2) of Karnataka State Universities Regulation Act 2000, the committee comprises four members – one each to be nominated by State Government, Governor (Chancellor), University Grants Commission and the concerned university.

Department of Higher Education, in its letter dated August 21, 2007, asked the KSWU to recommend a name for the committee in the offing. Much to the surprise of the department, the university sent a “strange” proposal.

In the syndicate meeting held in the third week of September, which was chaired by Dr. Akhtar, it passed a resolution stating that if the search committee were to be constituted on or before October 26, 2007 (the day Dr. Akhtar’s term expires), J.A.K. Tareen, Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Puducherry (Pondicherry) would represent the KSWU in the committee. If the search committee were to be constituted on October 27, 2007, or later, Dr. Akhtar would be the member of the committee from the KSWU side. Section 14 (3) of the Act states “No person connected with the affairs of the State Government, the University or any college or institution affiliated to the University shall be nominated as the member of the search committee.”

Supporters of Dr. Akhtar see no wrong in recommending her name. However, according to the departmental officials, making her a member of the search committee is contrary to the spirit of the provisions that regulates the appointment of Vice-Chancellor. The idea behind the clause is that that the successor should be free from the influence of incumbent authority. What should be noted is that her nomination was recommended by the syndicate meeting chaired by her.

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Out-going Vice-Chancellor recommends herself for committee

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