16 candidates appear for UoP V-C interview

Sixteen candidates were interviewed for the post of Vice-Chancellor of University of Pune (UoP) on Saturday by a three-member Vice-Chancellor Search Committee.

Interviews of all the candidates were over on Saturday. The search committee will send its recommendation of three to five candidates to Governor S C Jamir within a couple of days, said Sanjeev Kashalkar,convenor of the committee and Registrar of IIT-Kanpur.

Members of the search committee included former Supreme Court judge Justice B N Srikrishna as the chairman,director of IIT-Kanpur Sanjay Dhande and principal secretary of higher education department J S Saharia. The committee had received 125 applications from which it shortlisted few candidates for the interview. The interviews took place at IIT-Powai. Each candidate was given 20 minutes to make a presentation on educational activities in the university,research activities,economic management,administration,coordination of student activities and management of teaching and non-teaching staff. The declaration of the new V-C is likely to take place next month,as the UoP will celebrate its foundation day on February 10.

Kashalkar said the ideal candidate would be one who gives an assurance that he will complete his five-year term. In the past decade,Dr Ashok Kolaskar completed his five-year term as V-C. However,Dr Arun Nigavekar could complete only two years as was selected as the chairman of University Grants Commission and Dr Narendra Jadhav completed only two-and-a-half years before being appointed as a member of the Planning Commission.

The post of the V-C has been lying vacant since June 15 after Jadhav resigned. Arun Adsool is the acting V-C of the varsity since then.

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