Chancellors must be non-political

The Telangana government had recently amended the existing legislations pertaining to the conventional varsities – the Telugu, Fine Arts, JNTU and Open universities. The government now has the power to appoint chancellors.

Vice-chancellors will also be selected by the government from the list of names submitted by search committees.

By default, the Governor was the chancellor of all state varsities but his role was extremely limited in the administration of the institutions. The amendment should be used to appoint reputed scientists or industrialists to lend the universities new dimensions, academics said.

“If a reputed personality like a noted scientist or industrialist is appointed chancellor, he or she can guide the university according to the needs of the outside world,” said Prof. A. Ravindranath, dean of UGC Affairs, Osmania University.

Academics feel that appointments should be made irrespective of nativity. “Today, I think it is very difficult to fill all the faculty positions in universities with quality professors, let alone chancellors. If the government intends to appoint such scientists or industrialists, they shouldn’t be limited by the Telangana nativity factor,” a Kakatiya University professor said.

However, academics fear that the chancellorship could now be used as political posts to retire politicians. In the two amendments made by the state, the chancellor’s role has been further clipped. Earlier, the chancellor could select the V-C, but it is now the government’s prerogative. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, in the past, had said that noted academics would be appointed chancellors. Academics feel that the role of chancellor should be increased like that in IITs, which also have a director and a chairman of governing council for administration.

Prof. P. Jayaprakash Rao, former chairman of the APSCHE in erstwhile AP, said, “So far chancellors have had a very, very limited role in universities’ administration. We don’t know what purpose the appointment of chancellors serves with the current laws in place. But if this is done, they should have a greater role in administration.”

The guidelines also call for reduction in the number of colleges affiliated to universities. According to RUSA statistics, Osmania University has 901 colleges affiliated to it, which is the highest in the country.

As per the amended laws, the government will select the vice-chancellor from a panel of names suggested by the search committee. Prof P. Jayaprakash Rao, former chairman of the AP State Council of Higher Education, said, “UGC guidelines say that the panel of names should be submitted by the search committee to the chancellor through the government. But as per the amendments, the names are not going to the chancellor at all. UGC and Union HRD ministry both want political interference in universities to be gradually reduced. But in our case, this is going in the opposite direction.”

However, government authorities say they are in conformity with the rules and the same procedure was followed prior to 2011. Meanwhile, the amendments to the laws to remove the Governor as chancellor of Prof. Jayashankar Agricultural University, Kaloji Health University and P.V. Narsimha Rao Veterinary University are yet to be made. Government sources said the amendments were expected soon.