PUNE: The controversial vice chancellor selection process, which has put top executive post in five universities in abeyance, may soon be a history as draft bill of the National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) proposes the national registry of eligible academicians, from which a panel of five finalists will be recommended to the Chancellor.

The vice chancellor selection process in five state universities is on hold as the new governor is reportedly reviewing the process in view of some objections. Even in the past, vice chancellor’s selections have never been free from controversies, thanks to the political meddling.

The NCHER draft bill 2010, prepared by a seven-member task force to implement Prof Yashpal committee report, suggests a remedy on the perplexing issue. This draft bill is put on the website of the ministry of human resource and development (www.education.nic.in) for stakeholders’ feedback. Though the bill is in its primary stages, it will bring sea change in higher education if accepted in toto.

As per the draft bill, the new proposed over-arching commission will be consisting of a collegium of core fellows and co-opted fellows. The Core fellows will be persons with high repute who in turn will co-opt one member from each state and union territory.

This collegium will recommend inclusion in the national registry, names of persons eligible and qualified for appointment as vice chancellor of university or the head of an institution of national importance. The central government, state governments, universities and institutes can refer the names of persons eligible for the post of vice chancellor to the NCHER for their inclusion in the national registry.

Whenever central government or state governments require, NCHER will recommend a panel of five names from the national registry for appointment to the post of vice chancellor. Chancellor will appoint vice chancellor from this panel.

The most important provision in the draft bill is that no person shall be eligible for appointment as vice chancellor unless his/her name is included in the national registry. This alternate system nips the root cause of controversy-appointment and conduct of search committees-in the bud.

However, criterion for inclusion of names in the national registry and selection of panel of five, is the grey area NCHER will need to tackle carefully, opined a senior academician who has worked closely with bodies like University Grants Commission. The task force will be in the city to listen to views of stakeholders on the draft bill in this month, said Narendra Jadhav, a member of the task force.

LONG WAIT

Delays and uncertainty over the selection process have disappointed candidates in the final panel for the post of vice chancellor of University of Pune (UoP). One finalist expressed his anguish, saying, “It has been dragged on too much. Dignity of the process is now at stake.”