Srinagar: The Kashmir University (KU) has received nearly 130 applications for the post of Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Varsity. The registration for submission of applications for the post was open from January 3 to 31 this year.
A top official told Greater Kashmir that nearly 40 percent of applicants are from Kashmir University, including senior professors and officers.
“Many applicants are also from top-notch universities and research institutions from different parts of the country, including, among others, Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University,” the official said.
He said the next step will be the scrutiny of applications which shall be placed along with CVs before the Search Committee to determine eligibility of the applicants.
“Thereafter, shortlisted applicants shall be called in for interaction with the Search Committee before a final panel of three candidates is submitted to the Chancellor for selection of the final candidate,” the official told Greater Kashmir.
The official said if the Search Committee so desires, it can also hold an interaction with various stakeholders including University teachers, officers and students to seek their feedback about the institution and its functioning before making the final recommendations.
“Many times in the past such interactions have been held,” he said.
Another top official in the University said the applicants include some incumbent VCs of universities in Jammu and Kashmir who have recently assumed the charge of VCs in their institutions.
“At least 160 applicants had registered on the online portal where the applications form for VC post was kept available until the closing day on January 31,” he said.
However, the official said, many have opted out from final submission at the eleventh hour for unknown reasons, leading the number of final applicants to drop to around 130.
The official said some applicants include those professors also who had recently applied for VC post in other universities in Jammu and Kashmir but were not selected even after figuring in final panels due to lack of required expertise and competence.
Notably the University is currently in the process of appointing the new VC for the University who will be its Principal Executive and Academic Officer.
As per the university advertisement, the person possessing high level of academic credentials, administrative competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitment will be eligible for the post of the VC.
The candidate should be a distinguished academician, with a minimum of 10 years of experience as Professor in a University or 10 years of experience in a reputed research or academic administrative organisation.
The post of the VC KU fell vacant after the expiry of the three-year term of present VC Prof Talat Ahmad in August last year.
Pertinently, Prof Talat was appointed as VC for a period of five years in 2018. However, the term was reduced to three years in the provisions of the J&K Reorganisation Act which came into force following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Central Government in 2019.
The three member search Committee, constituted by the Chancellor of the University Manoj Sinha on October 8, has Dr Pankak Mittal, Secretary General Indian Association of Universities as its chairperson while professor Mohammad Miyan, former VC MANUU and Prof Najma Akthar, VC Jamia Millia Islamia are its members.
Sources said immediately after demitting his office, Prof Talat Ahmad will take the assignment of chairing the Governing Board of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology Dehradun, an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Also, the University of Jammu, where a separate search committee has been constituted, has already advertised the post of VC.
The JU Search Committee is headed by Prof Arun Kumar Grover, former VC Punjab University with Prof Pardesi Lal, former VC Nagaland University and Prof Anil Kumat Tyagi, former VC Indraprastha University Delhi as its members.