[ad_1]
Following a directive from the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Gujarat Department of Education last month asked all private universities to provide details regarding the appointment of their Vice Presidents (VC).
The Commissioner (Higher Education) in his letter issued to all private university registrants on 3rd June asked for “details as to whether or not the appointment of Vice-Chancellors to private universities has been made pursuant to the UGC notification dated 18th July 2018”.
The letter refers to a UGC directive which states: “…some private universities in Himachal Pradesh have appointed Vice-Chancellors in case they do not comply with the UGC regulations. This is a serious concern as the appointment of unqualified persons to senior positions in higher education reflects on the quality of education in the country “.
UGC Secretary Prof. Manish R Joshi, in his letter to tertiary departments on June 7, stated, “In view of the seriousness of the matter, I would like to request you to examine the appointments of Vice-Chancellors in private universities and see if they are appointed as per the UGC regulations. You must be vigilant “In the event of non-conformity, the process of removing unqualified Vice-Chancellors should be initiated. Early action is required in this regard.”
This directive is expected to destabilize many private universities. Already, the appointment of V-Cs in public universities in Gujarat has been called into question. Following the Supreme Court ruling on March 3, 2022 on the selection process and criteria for VC appointment for Sardar Patel University in Anand, the government last month issued a notification to include one UGC member in the search committees for the appointment of V-Degrees of state universities.
The UGC has drafted the “UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for the Appointment of Teachers and Other Teaching Personnel in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintaining Standards in Higher Education 2018”, which includes criteria for the appointment of V-Cs. These regulations must be compulsorily followed by all institutions of higher education.
[ad_2]
