Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Recommendations of panel valid, say AU student leaders

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM AUG. 22. The three-member high-level committee, appointed by the Government to look into the developments in Andhra University after the strike by students in November last year, and following several representations made by different sections, is learnt to have not made many caustic comments on the style of functioning of the Vice-Chancellor, Y.C. Simhadri, but expressed its opinion on how the head of a university should function.

In the case of several issues raised by the students, employees and others, the committee suggested to the Vice-Chancellor to consult the Academic Senate and the Executive Council, which it has said are statutory bodies and that it is always desirable and administratively and legally necessary to seek their help and guidance.

The committee has found that all the different sections it has interacted with "have understood Prof. Simhadri's zeal for excellence and commitment to make the university one of the best in the country. Some might disagree with his priorities and the methods adopted by the administration for achieving the target.''

On the role of the authorities of the university it has observed that "a university authority is expected to be an academic leader and administrative head judiciously blended into a wholesome personality. He should be firm in implementing basics but sympathetic while dealing with students on non-basics. He should be flexible and not rigid and never be vindictive while dealing with teachers and non-teaching staff.

He should not be harsh and rash while interacting with students, teachers and non-teaching staff. He should not create fear-psychosis among them but listen to their grievances patiently and engage them in fruitful dialogue. Reforms should be introduced in a phased manner and not in an overenthusiastic way. Any wise administrator would not dig out the past. His actions and reforms would speak for themselves.''

Leaders of some student organisations on Friday revealed at a press conference the contents of the committee's report which they claimed was authentic.

The three-member committee visited the campus last December and interacted with students, faculty, employees and others and submitted its report to the AP State Council of Higher Education.

The committee found a big communication gap between Prof. Simhadri and the APSCHE. It felt that the V-C "has entered into an unseemly and avoidable correspondence with the Council in relation to EdCET and other matters, which paved way for misunderstanding and almost closed the formal communication channel between the two institutions.''

On the (vertical) admission method, the committee has stated that it is desirable that V-Cs of all universities in the State meet, preferably in February every year, and form guidelines for the next academic year on matters like the number of counselling sessions, sliding, conversion of seats reserved for SCs and STs into general category, provision of pursuing a second post-graduate course, etc., to avoid unnecessary controversies and agitations as witnessed on the AU campus.

It has hoped that the need for imposing prohibitory orders under Sec. 144 on the campus would not arise and described as undesirable the practice of videographing students participating in protest programmes.

According to the committee, the following issues could be referred to the Executive Council or the Academic Senate: suspension of students, teachers and non-teaching staff on

grounds of indiscipline; increase in working days, circulars issued by the administration; attendance; and wants the administration to re-examine the issues like levying penalties on students.

The committee has favoured re-examination of the issue of accommodation in hostels. It has sought the V-C to examine whether the Officers on Special Duty are needed and suggested that he hold meetings with the associations of the teaching and non-teaching staff and other administrative officials.

Leaders of the student organisations, Pithani Prasad (BC Students Organisation), V. Shyamsundar and B. Damodar (NSUI), Y. Bhaskara Rao (ABVP), John Ratnam and Rajasekhar Vijayanand (SC, ST Students Association), and Paradesi Naidu, demanded that the Government implement all the recommendations of the three-member committee. "The demands made by us in the past have been justified by the committee,'' they claimed.

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