Academic activity is likely to get some impetus with the State government appointing Vice-Chancellors for five universities on Thursday out of the 17 vacant positions.
Rameshwar Rao, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Osmaniya University, has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of JNTU-Hyderabad, while G. Tulasi Ramdas of the JNTUH has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of JNTU-Kakinada.
G. Rajarami Reddy, professor of zoology at Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, will be the new Vice-Chancellor of Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore.
K. Krishna Naik, professor in the department of history, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, has been appointed for the Rayalaseema University in Kurnool.
K. Ramakrishna Reddy, professor of management in Srikrishna Devaraya University, Anantapur, has been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the same university.
Rider
Orders were issued to this effect on Thursday with a rider that the appointments would be subject to the outcome of the writ petitions pending in the High Court.
Interestingly, the Governor did not give his assent to the selection of the Vice-Chancellor of JNTU-Anantapur.
Sources in the Higher Education Department said that the Governor found fault in the selection procedure and asked the government to submit a fresh case without deviating from the norms.
In-waiting
There are still 12 universities waiting for appointment of Vice-Chancellors.
These university in the State including Sathavahana University, Karimnagar; Andhra University, Vishakapatnam; Potti Sriramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad; Palamoor University, Mahabubnagar; Adikavi Nannayya University, Rajahmundry; Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur; Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Srikakulam; Krishna University, Machilipatnam; Jawaharlal Nehru Fine Arts and Architecture University, Hyderabad;
Sri Padmavathi Mahila University, Tirupati; ANGRAU, Hyderabad, among others.