PANAJI: Eyebrows have been raised in academic circles over the selection criteria adopted for the post of vice-chancellor (VC) of the Goa University, as the selection committee is not in accordance with norms laid out by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The commission’s rules mandate that the selection committee must have one member nominated by it, a criterion that the present panel — which will interview candidates on Wednesday — has not adhered to.
The committee constituted by the governor for the selection of Goa University’s VC comprises former NCERT director Jagmohan Singh Rajput who is the chancellor’s nominee, DRDO’s G Satish Reddy who is the state government’s nominee, and CSIR director general Shekhar Mande who is the university’s executive council nominee. A senior government officer, however, said, “The committee formed for the selection of VC is not as per the UGC guidelines.”
Defending the constitution of the present selection panel, Goa University registrar Radhika Nayak said, “While a UGC-nominated member is required as per the 7th Pay guidelines, the current committee has been constituted according to an earlier statute that requires only a three-member committee.”
She said a fourth member would have been required only if the statute had been amended, but explained that since no amendment has been made yet, the panel still comprises three members. “The Goa statute was amended with regard to most of the provisions of the 7th Pay Commission, except the provision pertaining to the selection committee for a VC. It was proposed to be done nearly three months ago but was kept on hold,” Nayak said.
UGC’s regulations of 2018 also provide that selection for the post of VC should be through proper identification by a panel of three to five persons through a public notification, nomination, or a talent search process, or a combination thereof. They further mandate that members of such search-cum-selection committees should be persons of eminence in the sphere of higher education and should not be connected in any manner with the university concerned or its colleges.
“The search-cum-selection committee shall give proper weightage to the academic excellence, exposure to higher education systems in the country and abroad, and adequate experience in academic and administrative governance...One member of the search-cum-selection committee shall be nominated by the UGC chairman for selection of VCs of state, private and deemed universities,” the regulations state.
As the term of the Goa University VC, Varun Sahni, ended on August 18, the varsity had begun the procedure to identify a new candidate for the post. It has received over 260 applications for the position, possibly the first case of such an overwhelming demand for the vacancy. The GU vice-chancellor holds the position for a term of five years.
Of the 260 candidates, 23 have been shortlisted. These have now been invited for a personal interview with the search committee on Wednesday.
