Controversy is raging over the first convocation of the Satavahana University here with the faculty members and students vehemently opposing its conduct in the absence of a permanent Vice-Chancellor.
The university was established in 2008 and since then, only two persons — Mohammed Iqbal Ali and K. Veera Reddy — have served as full-time Vice-Chancellors (V-C). 2015 onwards, the university has been running only with non-academics as in-charge V-Cs, who were already entrusted other administration jobs in Hyderabad.
Though the regular V-Cs had planned convocations during their tenure, those did not materialise owing various reasons, including the statehood movement, reaching its crescendo in the district — the epicentre of the Telangana movement.
Ironically, the Satavahana is the only university in the state which does not have a permanent academician as V-C since 2015. Due to this, the administration has come to a standstill and the university is unable to secure the UGC 12B recognition despite running for 11 years.
Registrar Umesh Kumar had proposed to conduct the university’s first convocation in June or July this year.
However, the teaching community associated with the Association of Satavahana University Teachers (ASUT) has opposed the move.
ASUT working president S. Sujatha, president V. Ramesh, general secretary Mohd. Jafer Jari have submitted a petition urging the registrar to postpone the proposed convocation until the appointment of a regular V-C and initiate any such process only after reopening of the university on June 17.
Even the student organisations of the university are opposed to the idea of a convocation and have demanded that their convocation certificates be signed by a full-time VC and not those merely in charge.
Mr. Umesh Kumar said he proposed the convocation so that students could get their degrees on time. “The university statutes do not mention anywhere that the convocations cannot be conducted without a regular and permanent Vice-Chancellor,” he maintained.
