Headless chairs at SPPU likely to get helmed by experts

However, in what appears to be a face saving measure to ensure that the university does not lose out on the chairs, the administration has now promised to speed up the appointment of candidates to head these chairs in the coming weeks. According to Vice-chancellor Wasudeo Gade, fresh guidelines have been prepared for the appointment of the heads to the chairs.

“There was some issue over the guidelines and criteria and we have reworked around it. A decision has already been taken in the management council. Soon, you will see advertisements for the posts in the coming weeks, following which there will be interviews,” he said.

The UGC’s directive proposes two chairs in the names of Guru Gobind Singh and Swami Dayanand Saraswati and clearly states that funding will not be given for chairs unless heads are appointed for them. In the last three decades, at least 19 chairs have been instituted at the university in the names of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule, Lokshahir Anna Bhau Sathe, Sant Namdev, Sant Dnyandev, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Sant Tukaram, among others, which are assigned the task of promoting research and studies in various subjects related to the personalities and their ideologies. Most of the chairs are lying vacant since the administration was yet to decide the criteria for appointments to these chairs.

“There had been at least four committees set up for this purpose. But now that the administrative process is complete, there will be no delay,” said Gade.