Search panels yet to begin exercise for VCs appointment in Telangana universities

As the earlier VCs demitted their offices on May 21, the government set up search committee for each of 10 universities in the last week of May.

Hyderabad: Two months have gone by but the search committees that were constituted for selection of candidates for appointment to Vice Chancellors (VCs) to 10 State universities, are yet to begin the search.

As the earlier VCs demitted their offices on May 21, the government set up search committee for each of 10 universities in the last week of May. However, these committees have not met so far to take the process ahead.

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As per the rule book, the VC’s selection process involves setting up of university-wise three-member search committee comprising one each nominees of the EC’s university concerned, State government and University Grants Commission. Following this, the search panels scrutinize applications received and recommend three names to the government, which in turn forwards them to the Governor, who is also chancellor of the universities.

As there was delay in appointment of regular VCs to universities, the State government had in May issued orders appointing senior bureaucrats as in-charge VCs. However, this move, according to sources, proving to futile as bureaucrats appointed as in-charges are busy with their own regular portfolios.

For instance, the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) – Hyderabad, one of the biggest universities in the State with several academic and private affiliated colleges’ related issues is being headed by Principal Secretary to Government (Education) Burra Venkatesham, who is also holding full additional charge as principal secretary to Governor.

Similarly, Osmania University in-charge VC M Dana Kishore is already heading MA&UD department as its principal secretary. According to sources, the in-charge VCs were attending to a few important files, leaving the rest including academic matters to the upcoming full-time VCs.

The government had on January 27 issued a notification inviting applications for the 10 state universities. In response to the notification, a total of 1,382 applications were received from 312 candidates, some of whom applied for multiple universities.