Raj Bhawan in Bihar has initiated the process for appointment of vice chancellors for two universities and the pro-VC for one university, raising hopes that the rampant ad hoc situation in the state varsities may end in the coming months. At present seven of the state’s 17 universities are without VCs and eight under additional charge, as one VC has been asked to go on leave.
OSD-Judicial at the Raj Bhawan Vinod Tiwari said that the process of appointments in all the universities was underway. “The appointments will be made as per the required process. It is the domain of the Chancellor,” he added.
The ad hoc appointments in Bihar’s higher education sector has developed a unique pattern, with continuing experiments and frequent reshuffles on key positions for one reason or the other, which has affected the long-term vision of institutions at a time when the new education policy (NEP) has gradually started unfolding.
Since July 2019, when Phagu Chauhan assumed the charge of Bihar Governor, (he also happens to be Chancellor of state universities), the state institutions have been increasingly under interim charge of vice chancellors, registrars, financial advisors and finance officers due to frequent resignations, removals and reshuffles, besides the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Though appointments to key positions remained held up, except for the time ahead of Assembly elections when six vice chancellors and seven Pro-VCs were appointed to fill vacant positions after a long delay, removals and reshuffles have continued.
The much-hyped experiment with Brigadiers as the registrars of universities to bring in discipline, which was initiated during the tenure of former Governor Satyapal Malik, has been done away with, with many officials with Army backgrounds removed before time to hand over charge of multiple universities to professors even from affiliated colleges. Earlier, professors from affiliated colleges never held the post of registrar.
{{/usCountry}}The much-hyped experiment with Brigadiers as the registrars of universities to bring in discipline, which was initiated during the tenure of former Governor Satyapal Malik, has been done away with, with many officials with Army backgrounds removed before time to hand over charge of multiple universities to professors even from affiliated colleges. Earlier, professors from affiliated colleges never held the post of registrar.
{{/usCountry}}The result was that not only VCs, but registrars are also holding multiple charge. If one VC is holding charge of four universities, another VC of three and yet another of two universities, there is a registrar from an affiliated college holding charge of three universities and another two registrars holding charge of two universities each. This is also evident in the case of college principals.
“The situation is strange, as even in rampant ad hocism there is a pattern. There is a race even to grab interim positions, which often results in frequent changes even in makeshift arrangements. When one VC and registrar is not capable of handling even one university properly, which is evident in more ways than one due to the apparent mess on campuses, how and why should one person be given charge of 3-4 universities and then be reshuffled frequently. If one is not competent at one place or indulges in wrong practices, there should be accountability fixed. Even appointment of such officials should be under question,” said Prof NK Choudhary, social activist and former head of economics in Patna University.
In the last couple of years, at least half a dozen VCs either resigned or were asked to go by the Chancellor midway through their tenure, the latest being Veer Kuer Singh University (Ara) VC Devi Prasad Tiwari. There are also a couple of other VCs facing charges and inquiry, but one of them has still got additional responsibility. Even P-VCs were asked to quit. The same happened with several registrars and finance officers. In a recent case, the registrar of Magadh University, Vijay Kumar, was removed, while the finance officer resigned and the financial advisor was transferred after their joint complaint to the Chancellor regarding a tender and the pressure on them. The Raj Bhawan also took cognisance of the complaint and public interest litigation has also been filed in the Patna High Court.
Former director of AN Sinha institute of Social Studies and social analyst DM Diwakar said that so many removals of incumbents to key positions by the Chancellor’s office within a short span of time meant that the appointment process was not able to bring in the right people. “This calls for serious thinking at the highest level. If officials are removed on corruption charges, mere removal should not be the end of it. Besides, attempts should be made to appoint the right people and due precaution must be taken before hand,” he added.