NEW DELHI: The search for the next vice-chancellor of Nalanda University—a flagship initiative of India’s Act East policy—has begun with the governing body setting up a five-member panel to recommend names to President Pranab Mukherjee within a month.
The governing board met at Rajgir in Bihar on Saturday morning. The meeting, chaired by chancellor of the university and Singapore’s former foreign minister George Yeo, was attended by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, university’s founder-chancellor and Ministry of External Affairs representative, Secretary (east) Anil Wadhwa.
The most significant decision was to set up a search committee to select suitable candidates for the next vice-chancellor. The five member panel consists of Yeo, members of parliament Sugata Bose and N K Singh, Professor Wang Bangwei from China and Professor Wang Gungwu from Singapore. All of them are members of the Nalanda Mentors Group, which was converted to the current governing board.
Gopa Sabharwal’s term as vice-chancellor, which had ended in November, had been extended as per guidelines till her successor is appointed. The panel is supposed to give names to the Visitor—President Mukherjee—within a month. Sabharwal’s tenure has been rather controversial–starting from her appointment to questions about the delay in starting the university.
Besides, the governing board also decided that the first convocation of the university will be held in August, with an invitation to be sent to President Mukherjee.
At the meeting on Saturday, the governing board also deliberated on its future composition, with an increase in members from 15 to 18 to accommodate representatives of more countries. This was part of recommendations for the Nalanda University amendment bill which the government will be tabling soon. However, a final decision on the governing body composition will be taken only after Chancellor Yeo meets with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.
From August, the school of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religions will be operational. This will be followed by Schools of Linguistics and Public Health in 2017-18. Right now, only two schools have been opened—historical studies and ecology. The governing board set a target for student strength of 350 students by next year.