Guv nod to ordinance for ‘5-member search panel’ to select V-Cs

MP | 13 May 2023 | Kolkata: Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has given his approval in promulgating an ordinance to constitute five-member search committees for the selection of full-term vice-chancellors in the state universities. 

The search committee will now have five representatives instead of three, including a nominee from the UGC (University Grants Commission). The state Cabinet had earlier given the nod for bringing in such an ordinance. 

Apart from the UGC representative, the search committee will have a member nominated by the Governor, who is the ex-officio Chancellor of the state universities, a member from the court or senate of the concerned university, a member nominated from the state Higher Education Council and another state government nominated nominee. In the existing three-member search committee there is no UGC representative. 

Around 31 universities in the state are functioning with vice-chancellors who have been given extensions. In most of these cases, their three-month extension tenure is ending on June 10. Calcutta University’s acting vice-chancellor has already completed his extension period. Governor Bose recently played a leading role in resolving the impasse regarding vice-chancellors of nearly 30 universities in Bengal. 

The Supreme Court judgement dated October 11, 2022 had mandated UGC norms to be followed in the appointment of V-Cs, irrespective of contradictory provisions in the State Acts. Bose in strict adherence to UGC norms had called the vice-chancellors whose appointments were declared ab initio null and void by the October 2022 verdict and informed them of the implications of the court’s verdict. 

The V-Cs gracefully opted to resign, thus, obviating the serving of termination notices. To avoid disruption of university functions, they were granted interim appointments for 3 months. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/guv-nod-to-ordinance-for-5-member-search-panel-to-select-v-cs-518483