BANGALORE: V Rani Channamma University Vice-Chancellor B R Ananthan has said no Act bars him from making appointments just before his term ends.
Ananthan is mired in a controversy for appointing more than 100 non-teaching staff before his term ends on August 18.
“You just show me any Act or rule directing the vice-chancellor not to make appointments three months before his term is expiring. Being a vice-chancellor, I have all the rights,” he said.
He said the chancellor himself issued orders appointing vice-chancellors till the last minute before demitting office. So why can’t the vice-chancellors do the same? he asked.
“If the vice-chancellor is not allowed to do any work or take major decisions during the last three months of his tenure, then why should he/she should continue in the post? According to me, a V-C is a V-C till the last day of his tenure,” said Ananthan. Meanwhile, justifying the ongoing appointments at the university, he said, “I have not given any fresh notification for appointments. We are recruiting people based on the notification given in 2012.”
According to Ananthan, when the university notified the recruitment of non-teaching staff in 2012, somebody approached government and had it stopped. However, after eight months, the university received clearance from the government. But by the time the university resumed the process, Lok Sabha elections were announced, halting the recruitments.
He said the university is now continuing the process, and it is not a fresh notification. He said he has no personal interest in the recruitments.
“How can I manage a university of 1.60 lakh students with eight non-teaching staff?” he asked.
Chancellor’s Recent Circular
The officials in the Higher Education Department said a recent circular by Chancellor clearly says that V-Cs should not take any major decisions in the last three months of their tenure.