THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could trigger a major controversy, a commission appointed by the state government to suggest reforms to university laws has recommended curtailing the powers of the chancellor (Governor) of state varsities in matters requiring legal expertise as well as those in which his or her discretionary powers are to be used. The report of the commission, chaired by former vice-chancellor of National University of Advanced Legal Studies N K Jayakumar, was submitted to Higher Education Minister R Bindu here on Friday.
The commission has noted that the present practice of designating the governor as chancellor ex-officio may continue. However, provisions empowering the chancellor to take decisions on matters requiring legal knowledge and provisions conferring discretionary powers on the chancellor should be changed, it said.
In legal matters, a university tribunal, a multi-member expert body consisting of a sitting or former judge of the Supreme Court or High Court as chairman, a senior lawyer and an experienced academician as members, could be entrusted with the decision- making. In matters that need exercise of discretionary powers, the vice-chancellor should be empowered to take appropriate decisions, it said.
The power of the chancellor to decide whether any proceeding of any of the authorities of the university is in conformity with the Act and statutes should be taken away and instead exercised by the university tribunal. The panel also proposed the inclusion of a provision whereby the Chancellor’s assent to a Statute shall be deemed to have been given on the expiry of 60 days from the date on which it has been submitted to the Raj Bhavan.
Notably, the report recommends greater role for the pro chancellor (higher education minister).
“The pro chancellor shall have the right to call for any information relating to the academic and administrative affairs of the university and such requisition shall be complied with by the varsity. The pro-chancellor shall have the right to bring any matter, which he considers important or a matter involving the policy of the government, to the attention of the chancellor or to any authority or officer of the University and seek appropriate action,” it said.
The commission has also recommended increasing the age limit for appointment for the vice-chancellor from 60 to 65 in all universities. It also proposed more administrative powers for the pro-vice chancellor to ease work load of the vice-chancellor and also to make the system prompt and more effective. Another key proposal is to designate the registrar as the chief administrative officers of the varsity. He shall be the ex-officio secretary of the senate, syndicate and the academic council of the university.
Reducing the number of members in the senate and syndicate and also the academic council are other recommendations. The commission also proposed that only one Board of Studies is required for each department of study and the number of members shall be between 10 to 15. The power of the university to declare by notification the conferment or extension of autonomous status to a college has been specifically included in the recommendations.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Curtail role of the chancellor (governor) in legal matters and limit discretionary powers
University tribunal and not chancellor to decide on conformity with varsity Acts, statutes
Pro chancellor empowered to intervene in varsity’s academic, administrative affairs
Increasing age limit for vice-chancellor appointment from 60 to 65 in all universities
Registrar to be designated as the chief administrative officer of the varsity concerned
Reduce the number of members in the senate, syndicate and academic councils
Close monitoring of autonomous institutions by the government and universities