BENGALURU: The number of aspirants for the posts of syndicate members (nominated by government) at state-run universities across the state has crossed 3,000. Recently, state government had withdrawn the nominations made by the earlier government to state-run university syndicates and are yet to nominate anyone new. As the posts lie vacant, aspirants are trying their luck by submitting applications directly to the higher education minister’s office. Applications received by the department have been forwarded to the minister’s office.
Sources at the department and at the minister’s office, the demand is more to get into University of Mysore, Visvesvaraya Technological University and Bengaluru Central University. The State Education Minister G T Devegowda said, “People are free to submit their applications, but we will examine every application before deciding on them.”He said the nominations will be made according to Karnataka State Universities Act. “If the candidate is not eligible under the Act, I will not yield to any kind of pressure to appoint them,” said GT Devegowda.
The state government can appoint 5 to 8 members to state universities. “The number of nominations depends on the statutes of the universities. Some have 2, some have 5 and some even have 8 nominations that the government can make,” said a senior official of the state higher education department.The syndicate nominations from government are known to be political appointments. The demand to be part of university syndicates comes from the power they will hold over private colleges affiliated to the respective universities.
The syndicate members will be in the Local Inquiry Committee visits, which recommends for renewal of affiliation, enhancement of intake, introduction of new courses and combinations, and they interact with the college management.One of the major allegations against syndicate members is that of corruption. That is one of the reasons for government barring them from being part of inquiry panels two years ago. Many members approached the court against this government order and the government was forced to issue another order allowing them in LICs.
Trouble with every new govt
Nomination and withdrawal of syndicate members is always a contentious issue because every time a new government comes to power, the nominations to university syndicates are changed. Soon after taking charge of higher education portfolio GT Devegowda issued an order withdrawing all government nominees to university syndicates appointed by the earlier government headed by Siddaramaiah.