Four months on, panel fails to find a new V-C for GU

The search committee that was set up four months ago to select candidates for the post of Vice Chancellor (V-C) of Gujarat University (GU) have so far failed to put forward a suitable candidate for the post.

Current V-C Parimal Trivedi's term comes to an end on June 29, and is not likely to extend his tenure. Trivedi had joined as the V-C in 2006 and remained in the position for two terms reportedly due to his connections with influential politicians.

According to sources in the BJP, Trivedi would not be asked to continue as the V-C due to allegations on him for casteist remarks against a teaching faculty, for which he currently faces criminal charges. He is expected to return to his original job as a Physics professor in the M J College of Science.

According to sources in the university, Dr Mukul Shah, a surgeon in a government hospital and current pro-V-C is expected to be made V-C till a permanent V-C is appointed. The university laws provide that the pro-V-C be given the charge of V-C if the post remained vacant, said a senior university official.

One of the search panel members, Kamlesh Joshipura, said that though the panel had considered a large number of candidates, the committee was not able to finalize a candidate for the job. "We are still waiting for the names of more suitable candidates before preparing a final list," said Joshipura, V-C of the Indian Institute of Teachers Education(IITE) at Gandhinagar.

Commenting on the situation, GU executive committee member Manish Doshi said that higher education in the state had suffered miserably in the last 10 years during the BJP rule in the state. "It is not that suitable candidates are not available for the job. The problem with this government is that it only wants a person of a particular ideology and is least concerned with the candidate's academic excellence," said Doshi. Even Dr Mukul Shah, according to sources, was inexperienced for the post of pro- V-C, but gained the position because his connections with BJP politicians. GU which includes 432 colleges and 3.25 lakh students on its rolls, will not have any permanent senior officials after Trivedi's tenure. "After Trivedi demits office, we will have an in-charge V-C, in-charge Registrar and in-charge Controller of Examinations," a professor said.

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