The resignation of some senior academicians within a year of them taking over the post has prompted the state higher and technical education ministry to come up with measures to ensure that vice-chancellors of state universities do not quit in a hurry. The ministry plans to introduce a bond for vice-chancellors that will make it compulsory for them to serve their entire tenure of five years.
The move comes after Pune University vice-chancellor RK Shegaonkar quit the post within a year-and-a-half of taking over and joined IIT-Delhi as director. Ministry officials also said that appointing a vice-chancellor is a lengthy and tedious process and that a sudden vacancy leads to problems.
It takes at least six months to appoint a vice-chancellor. The state government appoints an expert panel to interview the candidates and then places advertisements in newspapers inviting applicants. The panel meets the worthy applicants and sends its recommendations to the governor who also interviews the potential candidates. It is only after these steps that a vice-chancellor is appointed.
The state government now wants a five-year commitment from vice-chancellors.
"We haven't taken a final call but plan to introduce a five-year bond for vice-chancellors soon. Appointing a vice-chancellor is a tedious process and we don't wish to do it every year. The resignation of some vice-chancellors within a year or two of their appointment left us in the lurch. We don't want such a thing to repeat," said DP Sawant, minister of state for higher and technical education.
Mumbai University vice-chancellor Dr Rajan Welukar said no such provision exists in the country but he understands the rationale behind the ministry's proposal. "Senior academicians must inform the authorities at least three months before they decide to quit to ensure that work is not affected," he said.
Vice-chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, Dr Arun Jamkar, supports the ministry's plan. "Such a provision is needed to an extent because if a person leaves the post midway, the education department has to go through a time-consuming process to appoint a new vice-chancellor. It hampers the growth and development of the university as well. If everybody understands their responsibilities, there will be no need to sign such a bond," he said.
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