‘State mulling to increase number of members in search committees’

KOLKATA: The state government is mulling to introduce changes in the constitution of the search committees that suggest names for appointments of Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) in state-run universities.

Generally, a search committee comprises three members who suggest the names of candidates for appointment of a V-C of a state university. These names are then forwarded to a state’s Governor for the final selection. It is learnt that the state government is considering to augment the number of members in the search committee.

It is learnt from the sources in the state Education department that the number of members in the committee may be increased from three to five to accommodate a representative of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Before 2014, the search committees reportedly had representatives from UGC. However, the state government later replaced the UGC representation with one member from the state Higher Education department through amendments.

The development also comes in the wake of West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose issuing a statement, reportedly questioning the legal tenability of search committees without a UGC member.

Sources in the state Education department said that the new decision will eliminate all doubts and objections, and satisfy all.

The entire mechanism to suggest names of V-Cs by a search committee sans a UGC member has often created complications, leading to legal hurdles. The apex court of the country had also reportedly suggested the need for a UGC member in search committees.