The former Member of Parliament M. Ramadass has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and appoint a new Vice-Chancellor for Pondicherry Central University.
In a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister, Mr. Ramadass pointed out that the university had been seriously suffering without a proper academic leader for over two years.
The post was advertised after one year on August 21, 2016 and the search committee met after seven months and recommended a panel of five candidates to the ministry on March 29 for onward transmission to the President (Visitor of the University) for final selection of the Vice-Chancellor. Even after six months, the Government of India had not selected a candidate for the post of Vice-Chancellor from the panel, he said.
‘In vicious circle’
Mr. Ramadass pointed out that the university was now embroiled in a vicious circle of deterioration in all walks of university life. Since there was no commanding leader, different groups in the university were moving in directions of its own choice.
The objective of the university to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities and undertake extramural studies and extension services is by and large defeated. The functioning of the university had been disrupted for flimsy reasons and marred by indiscipline, protest and intervention of the police.
“In the absence of a regular Vice-Chancellor, there is a policy paralysis in the university and no development activity worth the name is undertaken. Almost all statutory positions of the university and many faculty positions remain vacant. The Executive Council, the supreme body of the university, reverses its own decisions within hours to suit the convenience of individuals and sometimes directed to take wrong decisions thereby losing its sanctity,” he said. Mr. Ramadass has urged the Prime Minister to prevail upon the Human Resource Development Minister to appoint immediately, a scholar-turned administrator of a reputed institution with impeccable integrity, credentials and character as the new Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry Central University.
