JNU VC selection panel to hear teachers, students

Students and teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will get to share what they expect from their Vice Chancellor (VC) with the human resource development ministry’s selection panel, tasked with picking a new VC for the varsity.

Students and teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will get to share what they expect from their Vice Chancellor (VC) with the human resource development ministry’s selection panel, tasked with picking a new VC for the varsity.
In a break from normal
practice, the selection panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K Kasturirangan has asked the human resource development ministry (HRD) to organise meetings with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and teachers before it shortlists candidates.
“The idea is aimed at ensuring that the concerns of teachers and students and their expectations from their VC are taken into account, while making the selection,” said a member of the panel, that also includes economist Nitin Desai and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, director P Balaram.
The panel is likely to meet representatives of students and teachers over the coming fortnight.
Outgoing VC BB Bhattacharya’s tenure is over but he is handling administrative matters till his successor takes over.
The selection panel, under Kasturirangan, held its first meeting today.
Though this is not the first time that a selection panel will be meeting teachers and students, before picking its nominees for the post of VC of a university, it is extremely rare, sources said.
Selection panels normally invite applications from eligible candidates, scrutinise applications and then call shortlisted candidates for interviews before finalising its selected candidates.
The entire process is usually conducted behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny.
JNU, however, has an extremely ‘politicised’ student and teacher fraternity and the selection panel is keen to get their views on board, before picking a VC, panel sources said.
This may help prevent later tensions between the university community and their new VC, sources said.

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