Date:20/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072055250700.htm

National

Rajasthan Govt. gets more power in running of State universities

Special Correspondent

New Bill drastically reduces the role of the Governor

Rajasthan Universities’ Laws Bill passed in the Assembly amid opposition from Congress
State Government will have a greater say in the appointment of V-Cs; It can get them removed too

JAIPUR: The State will have an increased role in the running of universities and appointment of Vice-Chancellors now with the passage of the Rajasthan Universities’ Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008, in the Assembly on Thursday.

The Bill, which brings under its purview all nine universities in the State, including the premier University of Rajasthan, has a special clause on “Control of the State Government”.

“Any matters relating to appointments, promotions or grant of emoluments and other financial matters shall be subject to policies or directions, if any, of the State Government and such policies and directions shall have overriding effect on any decisions of the University,” says a section which has been added to Section 47 of the University of Rajasthan Act, 1946.

The Bill, passed amid opposition from the Congress, in fact drastically reduces the role of the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the universities in Rajasthan.

Role defined

The lawmakers have been rather unabashed about the role of the State in the academic institutions which is obvious in the statement of objectives and reasons for the legislation: “There has been good harmony between the Universities and the State Government but sometimes there are instances when policies and directions of the State Government are ignored even when they are confined to administrative or financial matter”, it states.

“This is largely because the Vice-Chancellor, once appointed, cannot be removed from his office even if he commits some grave irregularities,” it adds.

The university laws which now stand changed include, Jai Narain Vyas University Act, 1962; the Mohan Lal Sukhadia University Act, 1962; the Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University, Kota Act, 1987; the Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University Act, 1987; the Rajasthan Agriculture University, Bikaner Act, 1987; the Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur Act, 2000; the University of Bikaner Act, 2003; and the University of Kota Act, 2003.

Among the new powers acquired by the State is the right to remove the V-C. A new sub-section now added says: “The Vice-Chancellor may be removed from his office by the Chancellor on the advice of the State Government…” The State will have an added role in the appointment of the V-Cs as well as they would be appointed hereafter “by the Chancellor on the advice of the State Government upon the recommendation of a selection committee…”

In the selection committee, comprising five persons, the Chancellor will have one nominee against two by the State Government and one each nominated by the Syndicate and the University Grants Commission.

Education Minister Kalicharan saraf, who piloted the Bill in the Assembly, tried to allay the fears of the Opposition members about the continued autonomy of these institutions. The new legislation would bring in uniformity in rules and finances and order to the varsities, he asserted.