ANANTAPUR: More than 40 professors across the county are in the fray for the vacant post of the vice-chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur (JNTUA).
But the government has now sent intimations to the local professors from the JNTUA that they would not be eligible for the post as the position was going to be given to an outsider.
The post is currently vacant due to the sudden demise of vice-chancellor M.M.M. Sarcar three months ago. Sarcar met with a fatal road accident near Gajarampalle, Pamidi mandal, on NH-44 Road while travelling to Kurnool this February. He became vice-chancellor on October 26, 2015.
The post of vice-chancellor was left vacant since February this year, with the Sri Krishnadevaraya University vice-chancellor Prof. K. Rajagopal acting as its vice-chancellor.
The government recently appointed a three-member committee to decide on the successor and it had chosen the three names after screening several applications from various places. Sources said that more than 40 professors from the various universities in the country had applied for the post of V-C at JNTUA.
A majority of them were from JNTU Hyderabad, Osmania University, JNTU Kakinada and other varsities from the different Telugu-speaking states.
Earlier, the state government had opted for Sarcar from Vizag, to balance the caste equations and select a member of a minority section. Though many local professors had made great attempts and had even used political clout, the government had rejected them and gave the post to Sarcar.
Even though the authorities had sent clear indications that local professors from the JNTUA would be overlooked, many of them still tried to impress and appease the local TD leaders. According to sources, more than 10 professors belonging to different categories had applied.
A senior professor who was denied the post of V-C at the last moment, is now making another big attempt to appease local minister Paritala Sunitha in order to get her support. A professor from the electrical department is reportedly seeking the support of local MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy.
