BENGALURU: The appointment of a regular vice-chancellor to University of Mysore is likely to be delayed further as the higher education department has invited fresh applications from eligible candidates.
Recently, the governor and chancellor Vajubhai Vala had sent back the file relating to appointment of a new vice-chancellor of the university. In the file, the governor asked for a fresh panel of names. But, the department has invited fresh applications. A copy of the notification which is available with The New Indian Express states that the eligible candidates can apply within 15 days and the earlier applications are not valid anymore.
However, according to the experts, this is in violation with the Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000. “There is no provision for the department to invite fresh applications having the same search committee,” they say. According to the department sources, the present search committee headed by Dr H P Kincha, former VC of Visvesvaraya Technological University, will continue.
“We are acting as per the directions given by the government. There is no question of constituting a new search committee. The same/existing committee will only scrutinise the applications and submit a panel of three names,” said a senior official of the department.
But experts say this is illegal. “When the government is doing this, that means those who had applied earlier were not eligible. As per our information, there were over 200 applications for the post, and how can no one be eligible?” asked a senior academic, who is also a retired VC.
Post vacant since January 2017
The post of vice-chancellor of the University of Mysore is vacant since January 2017 when Prof K S Rangappa’s term ended. Though a search committee was formed and it submitted panel of names, the government delayed sending them to the governor. Later, the governor rejected the panel and asked for a fresh one. But now, the department has again invited fresh applications from eligible candidates.