Decision comes one day ahead of hearing on PIL in HC; Pune finalists interviewed

PUNE: In a shocking development, governor K Sankaranarayanan, in his capacity as Chancellor of universities, dissolved existing search committee for the selection of Vice Chancellor of the University of Mumbai.

Dissolution of the committee comes one day before the hearing in Bombay High Court over PIL objecting selection processes of the vice chancellors.

A new search committee will now be constituted and the process of selection of vice chancellor of University of Mumbai will be started afresh, stated a press communique released by the Rajbhavan. Dissolved search committee was appointed by then Governor S C Jamir under the chairmanship of Prof Andre Beteille, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Delhi. Prof M S Ananth, Director IIT, Chennai and J S Saharia, Principal Secretary, Higher and Technical Education Department were the other members of the Committee.

 “The Committee is dissolved since various issues were raised regarding the validity of the constitution of the committee. The Governor decided to dissolve the committee after getting legal advice from Advocate General,” states the release.

Raj Bhavan has clarified that new search committee may consider candidates, who were recommended in the final panel by dissolved committee, for the post along with other eligible candidates.

Meanwhile, Governor Sankaranarayanan interacted with five candidates short-listed for the post of vice chancellor of University of Pune (UoP). He interviewed each candidate for about 20 minutes and asked them to present their vision for the university.

The interviews were held from 11 am to 1 pm. Chancellor's office however did not announce name of the candidate selected for the post. Name of the candidate will be announced once CM’s office approves it, informed sources.

Five shortlisted candidates include present director of UoP’s board of colleges and university development Pandit Vidyasagar, director of UoP's inter-disciplinary school of health sciences Bhushan Patwardhan, physics professor D G Kanhere, IIT Bombay deputy director R K Shivgaonkar and IIT Bombay faculty Prakash Gopalan.