The Hindu : Kerala News : Delay in appointing VC hits Kannur University

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 04, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Delay in appointing VC hits Kannur University

By Our Staff Reporter

KANNUR, SEPT. 3. The smooth functioning of Kannur University, which has worked at full throttle over the past four years, has been hit because of the delay in posting a new Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor.

Total disarray

Files continue to pile up at the Vice-Chancellor's Chamber on the Mangattuparamba campus. The Calicut University Vice-Chancellor, Syed Iqbal Hasnain, is holding the additional charge of the university. The routine functioning of the university has been hampered and various developmental and academic projects, awaiting nod of the university statutory bodies, are in total disarray.

Additional charge

The tenure of the Vice-Chancellor, P.K. Rajan, ended in mid-May. The Pro Vice-Chancellor, M.O. Koshy, acted as the Vice-Chancellor till mid-August when his term also ended. After he was handed over the additional charge of the university, Dr. Hasnain visited the university on August 17 and constituted a Senate election cell.

Academic Council

According to university officials, the Academic Council meeting could not be held in the absence of a Vice-Chancellor. The last Academic Council meeting was held in April. As a result, the scheme and syllabus prepared by the Board of Studies for the School of Historical Studies, proposed to be started this year, could not obtain the council's approval.

The Vice-Chancellor has the power to approve new syllabus or revised syllabus, subject to ratification of the Academic Council, the officials said.

Funds release

Release of funds for the various projects has also been affected, as the Vice-Chancellor's clearance was necessary for release of funds exceeding Rs. 10,000, they said. The distribution of degree certificates has also been hit.

Rapid developmental activities were initiated over the past four years to secure the University Grants Commission's (UGC) 12(B) recognition for obtaining UGC funds for academic purposes. Though the UGC sanctioned Rs. 4.5 crores to the university following the award of the 12(B) recognition, the university is facing difficulties in utilising the fund in the current situation.

Staff shortage

A university official said that no development scheme could be envisaged in the current atmosphere of uncertainty. Moreover, the university was facing acute shortage of staff.

The uncertainty would continue until the Government nominates a new Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor, the officials said.

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