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AU council boosts V-C power
THE ALLAHABAD University?s Academic Council has empowered vice-chancellor Prof Rajen Harshe to nominate members to standing committees to be formed for awarding of degrees and research in the varsity. The move paves the way for two vital tasks to be undertaken in future without having to wait for a meeting of the Academic Council. Nevertheless, the decisions of the standing committees will have to be approved by the council for it to become effective.
THE ALLAHABAD University’s Academic Council has empowered vice-chancellor Prof Rajen Harshe to nominate members to standing committees to be formed for awarding of degrees and research in the varsity. The move paves the way for two vital tasks to be undertaken in future without having to wait for a meeting of the Academic Council. Nevertheless, the decisions of the standing committees will have to be approved by the council for it to become effective.
It was the first meeting of the AU Academic Council after the varsity attained Central status last year.
Sources said the Academic Council members also decided to form a standing committee to look into the prospects of a common admission test for all the constituent colleges of the varsity in place of separate tests being held by each college at present. The council empowered the V-C to nominate members to this standing committee, too.
The council also approved a number of other courses, including M.Mus and Mass Communication. But, the council decided to wait for now on the issue of the five-year integrated law course.
After it was pointed out that the High Court had given a decision in this regard, the council members agreed that legal opinion should be first sought on ways to start the course only, when appropriate infrastructure was available in the varsity, but also not show any disrespect to the court.
Sources said the council members gave their approval for forming the Film Society in the AU. They also approved a proposal for 75 per cent mandatory attendance for the students. As for college teachers wishing to guide PhD students, a decision will be taken only after new ordinances become effective.
Earlier, the meeting began with a welcome address by the V-C and presentation of his report on the academic vision of the university. During the meeting, that started at 3.30 pm and continued till 7.30 pm, the V-C duly acknowledged the error made in not inviting Prof Krishna Mukherjee of the Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital initially for the Academic Council meeting, despite her being nominated by the Ministry of HRD.
Sources said AU Dean (Arts) Prof KG Srivatava raised the issue of the omission of a number of items from the agenda though they were approved by the Faculty Board of Studies and forwarded by him to the AU Registrar’s office. Prof Srivastava was of the view that it should be decided once and for all whether such omissions were permissible under the University of Allahabad Act-2005, especially its section 12 (E).
Vice-Chancellor Prof Rajen Harshe, however, convinced Prof Srivasatava not to insist that the issue be discussed in the meeting and promised to look into the matter and properly address it.
Sources said the Board of Studies had recommended that the teaching of French, German and Russian be shifted from the English Department after making an independent centre for languages. Similarly, the Board that a Greek tragedy ‘Antigony’ be included in the course of PG students, but that too was omitted from the agenda.
