Tough competition expected for VC post of Bharathidasan varsity

Now that there is a clear provision in the newly framed law that permits college teachers in the rank of associate professors to apply for the post of vice chancellors, a tough and much wider competition is expected for the post of the Vice Chancellor of the Bharathidasan University this time around.

Search committee

The Search Committee consisting of retired senior IAS official Santha Sheela Nair as the government nominee and Convenor; and R. Venkatarathnam, Senior Professor and Head of Sociology (Retired), Madurai Kamaraj University; and S. Sivasubramanian, former Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, as members, released an advertisement last week calling for applications from distinguished academicians with high levels of competence, integrity, moral and institutional commitment and possessing the prescribed educational qualifications and work experience till November 20.

According to academic circles, there is likely to be large number of applications this time. So far, the norms favoured only university professors.

Transparency

“A vital highlight is the transparency incorporated into the process of selection for identifying the candidate purely on the basis of merit. Transparent, merit-based selection has been made possible well after a decade," a prospective applicant conversant with the university system said.

As per the new law, the qualification for the post of Vice-Chancellor is a minimum of 10 years experience as professor in a university or in an equivalent position, or 20 years in colleges or reputed research institutions.

An aspirant should have a Ph. D. in the relevant field of the university and must be a professor with a minimum of 10 years’ experience or should have teaching experience of 20 years in a university or college offering PG programmes.

The qualifying clause includes work experience in a self-financing institution or deemed university.

"The scope for more number of college teachers to apply has brightened since there are many fulfilling the norms of the PG teaching experience," another applicant working in a college said.

The aspirant should have at least six years of administrative experience as a dean or head of department or a post equal to these or higher in a university or PG college or a publicly funded institution.

Aspirants should have published at least five research papers after Ph. D. in UGC-listed journals. They should have also presented at least two papers in international academic or research events.

Aspirants should have also conducted at least one such international academic or research event.

Three to be short-listed

A panel of three top-notch academicians from amongst the applicants will be selected and sent to the Chancellor for making the final choice.

There are expectations in academic circles that the new Governor, Banwarilal Purohit, will interview the three candidates himself, a practice that one of his predecessors Sundar Lal Khurana used to follow.

This will reinforce the transparency in the selection process, a former Vice-Chancellor of a State University said.

According to sources, the Search Committee will screen and most likely choose the candidates based on a format followed by Central Universities that requires furnishing of qualification (post-doctorate, Ph.D, post-graduation, graduation); present position and total experience (in years and months), academic experience and service details (as Vice-Chancellor, Professor or equivalent, Associate Professor); international exposure, if any; administrative posts held on full-time basis; research projects executed by applicant; publications (number of papers and books published); area of specialisation; and scholarships, awards, membership, and fellowships in academic societies.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/tough-competition-expected-for-vc-post-of-bharathidasan-varsity/article19910604.ece
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