Kolkata: The state government, Governor and University Grant Commission (UGC) have proposed 15 names for the consideration of the Supreme Court in the formation of the search committee to select vice-chancellors (V-Cs) in state universities.
On September 15, the apex court decided to form the search committee and directed the state government, Chancellor and University Grant Commission (UGC) to recommend three to five names for its consideration.
According to a news agency, Governor C V Ananda Bose’s proposal includes IIT Kharagpur director V K Tewari and V-C at BIT Mesra Indranil Manna, and three professors from IISc Bangalore, IIT Delhi and V-C of Maharaja Surajmal Brij University in Bharatpur. The Supreme Court on September 27 had sought names of renowned scientists, technocrats, administrators, educationists, jurists or any other eminent personality for the purpose of nomination to the search committee.
The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta heard the matter.
“Learned senior counsel/learned counsel for the parties have agreed to submit a tabulated chart giving details of the universities, the description of the subjects which are being taught, the existing provisions for the appointment of members in the search committee and/or the new provisions which are proposed in the Bill awaiting the assent of the Governor,” the order stated. The matter will be next heard on October 6 and the details need to be sent by October 4.
According to a news media report, the Bench had earlier observed that both the state and the governor need to take initiative by putting aside their differences and focus on the improvement of the educational institutions in the state.
An appeal by the state government against the Calcutta High Court order passed on June 28 which stated that there was no illegality in the orders issued by the governor appointing interim V-Cs in eleven state-run universities. Governor C V Ananda Bose is also the Chancellor of state universities.