Dr Sushila Nayyar’s appointment as Chancellor ends power-struggle at Gujarat Vidyapeeth

For the past one year, the Vidyapith has been steeped in controversy. At the root of the trouble was the late Parikh’s move to implement University Grant Commission (UGC) guidelines on the appointment of vice-chancellor. The faction opposed to Parikh then pulled off a coup by passing a resolution re-appointing Govind Raval as vice-chancellor and bringing back Vinod Tripathi as pro-vice-chancellor at a tumultuous meeting of the Vidyapith’s Mandal (the apex governing-body), last year.

Litigations followed and finally five arbiters were appointed, but even their ruling had been gathering dust, creating a stalemate.

Said Navalbhai Shah, one of the five permanent members of Mandal and a strong contender for the post, “Shushilaben’s appointment is the best thing to have happened. Now, we have found the right person. Everything will be all right.” Even vice-chancellor Govind Raval said all problems would now be solved. “We all have agreed to co-operate with her,” he said.

Though all 13 members of the Mandal have given a written endorsement of her appointment, it is yet to be adopted in a resolution and passed at the Mandal meeting. The Mandal is expected to meet later this month, during which Dr Nayyar’s appointment will get the final nod.

However, Dr Nayyar seems to have got down to business immediately after she agreed to head the institute. For one, she has made it clear that the arbiters’ ruling would be implemented. She is said to be in favour of appointing a search-committee to select a new vice-chancellor to succeed Raval. She has also taken up the long-pending issue of appointing eight more Mandal members. All Mandal members have been told to submit in a sealed cover, names of candidates by August 15. These names would be forwarded to Dr Nayyar, who would finalise the eight candidates.

Though there were signs that things have finally got moving at the Vidyapith, Dr Nayyar is likely to face some obstacles. Though it was agreed that all sides would withdraw court cases, an atmosphere of mistrust and doubt still exists. For instance, B.Ed. college principal and Raval’s opponent, Ilaben Nayak, has declined to withdraw her case following apprehensions that UGC norms would be implemented from next year, instead of this year. She has written to Dr Nayyar, explaining why she has not withdrawn her case.

Even Naval Shah hinted that much depends on whether the arbiters’ ruling would be implemented. He says Govind Raval should be asked to resign and a search-committee appointed to bring in a young Vice-Chancellor. “The problem is so complicated that Dr Nayyar will face problems for some time,” said a Mandal member.

However, Dr Nayyar is confident that she would be able to tide over the obstacles. “I do not expect much trouble. All have agreed to withdraw cases and cooperate with me. I will try to bring about an atmosphere of mutual trust,” she said. “With god’s grace and with Gandhiji’s blessings, everything will be all right,” she said on an optimistic note.