Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Saturday ruled out reconsidering his decision not to seek a second term as Chancellor of Nalanda University since that would require a change in the position of the government on the academic independence of Nalanda University.
The 81-year-old economist’s decision to withdraw his candidature as the university Chair for the second term after complaining about political interference in academic matters has sparked off a controversy.
The Union government had not forwarded his name affirming a second term to the Visitor, President Pranab Mukherjee, despite unanimous recommendation of his name by the university’s governing body.
Asked whether he would reconsider his decision, Mr. Sen said: “No. I think there is no reason for me to reconsider. It is not about my tenure, it is about academic freedom....they would have to guarantee academic independence of Nalanda, which they do not seem to want. If they did that, this would of course be a different matter altogether.”
He maintained that the government’s claim that the minutes of the governing body’s meeting had not reached it was “false.”
Giving details, he said in the special meeting of the Board on January 14, chaired by Singapore’s George Yeo (Sen having recused himself), the decision that was taken was followed by a special minuting meeting affirming the language of the decision, where the minuting formally took place.
This was communicated to the President on January 15 and confirmed by written communication to the Ministry of External Affairs, he added.
