V-C posts: Education Dept to reconstitute search committees

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After issues of ‘conflict of interest’ arose in the selection of Vice-Chancellors for State universities, the Higher Education Department has decided to reconstitute the search committees

Hyderabad: After issues of ‘conflict of interest’ arose in the selection of Vice-Chancellors for State universities, the Higher Education Department has decided to reconstitute the search committees. The matter was highlighted in the report ‘Conflict of interest hits V-C aspirants’ published in these columns in the edition dated February 28.

The report pointed out that representatives of the search committee are nominated by the Executive Councils (ECs) which are headed by the Vice-Chancellors. Incidentally, V-Cs who sent their nominees to the search panel, themselves were in the reckoning for selection, which is seen by many as a conflict of interest.

While V-C positions in 10 universities have been notified by the State government, nine of the incumbent V-Cs submitted applications. Apart from present EC nominees, the TSCHE officials, who are involved in the scrutiny of applications, have also registered for the position. “The EC nominee is selected under the chairmanship of the V-C. Now, the same V-Cs have applied for the VC selection notification. This has raised a conflict of interest. So, it has been decided to call for new EC nominees. Without the V-C, the ECs meeting only on this agenda will be conducted and fresh nominees will be taken,” sources said.

Since the ECs tenure of the universities ended in the last week of February, the department has decided to induct fresh faces to the EC of the respective universities and shortly hold a meeting. As many as 312 professors are in the race for V-C positions for ten universities.

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