Shortage all round: 10 state univs in Telangana, not one has a regular V-C

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Higher Education Minister Kadiam Srihari says the process of constituting search-cum-selection committees to look for suitable candidates is on. On Wednesday, on a PIL filed by the NGO Forum for Good Governance, a division bench of Hyderabad High Court directed the Telangana government to file a counter-affidavit regarding the steps being taken to appoint VCs and the time required to complete the process.

Forum for Good Governance secretary M Padmanabha Reddy said his NGO decided to file the PIL as there was no response from Telangana government to a number of representations to appoint VCs and address the staff shortage. “All 10 universities have in-charge VCs. Universities and colleges are running with only 50 per cent staff,” Reddy says. “Research in all the universities has almost stopped; there are not enough professors to guide students. The UGC may stop funding if full-time VCs are not appointed.”

Osmania University, which was granted UPE (university with potential for excellence) status by the UGC under the 11th plan, with Rs 50 crore sanctioned and Rs 25 crore released, is up for review by a committee appointed by UGC to examine the progress of research and development work.

Sources in the higher education department said the government wants to amend the Universities Act to have a say in the appointment of VCs. “About two years ago, the Kiran Kumar Reddy government amended the Act and transferred all the powers to the governor to appoint VCs based on recommendations made by the search cum selection committee. Earlier, governments also had a say in the final appointments. The Telangana government wants to amend the Act again to bring the government back into the selection and appointment process,’’ an official said.

Leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council Shabbir Ali said: “The appointment of VCs is being delayed as CM K C Rao wants to become the chancellor of universities by amending the Universities Act. The CM must hasten the processes. Almost all universities have less than 50 per cent staff.’’