Director of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB), Prof Pankaj Chandra’s chances of becoming the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) appears to be slim as the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) has sought more names.
The Search-cum-Selection Committee has been asked to submit a fresh list of names to the ministry, extending the search for the suitable candidates.
According to R P Sisodia, Joint Secretary, Higher Education, MHRD, the process of selection is under way. “The Search-cum-Selection Committee is yet to submit the panel of fresh names to the department. The committee is an independent body and we have given it ample time to suggest names. There is no deadline,” he added.
The committee had earlier submitted two names- Pankaj Chandra and Syed Hasnain, former Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University — of which the former was chosen by the ministry.
However, owing to the intervention from the PM’s Office, the selected names had to be dropped, paving way for a new list of candidates. The committee had submitted two names about which objections were raised. The name of the IIMB director was backed by the MHRD strongly. Efforts were also made to ensure that Prof Chandra would be relieved from the post of the Director at the earliest. The tenure of Prof Chandra as IIMB director will end in December.
However, Sisodia refused to comment on the shortlisted candidate for the post. He added, “The ministry has also posted fresh advertisement seeking suitable candidates on the website.”
Prof Ved Prakash who is the Vice-chairman of the apex body has also been the acting chairperson for more than one-and-a-half years.
Two PILs have been filed in the Delhi High Court over Prof Ved Prakash holding the posts of Vice-Chairman and Acting Chairman.
“The cases are pending in the court and will take its own course of action,” he said.