Hyderabad: Days after issuing a notification, the Telangana government has received at least 15 applications for the vice-chancellor’s job, for its 10 state universities. This number, officials at TSCHE say, is likely to triple by the end of the deadline. The last date for applications is Feb 12.
While so far, it is primarily in-service professors who have sent in their ‘resumes’ for the top post, the state expects a barrage of applications to pour in from current VCs, registrars, officials of Telangana state council for higher education and senior professors along with retired professors.Sources say most of these candidates will join the fray on the last day and apply to more than one university.
The final count of applicants is expected to touch 50, or even more. Their top choices: Osmania University (OU), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad and Dr BR Ambedkar Open University, largely because they are in Hyderabad.
“We have given a no objection certificate (NOC) to about 10 professors so far — some of whom have applied to as many as eight universities,” said P Laxminarayana, registrar, OU. Here, at least 36 in-service professors, including vice-chancellor D Ravinder and registrar Laxminarayana, among others, are eligible to apply for the VC job.
Apart from them, professors who retired in the last seven years or so are also eligible as the age cut-off is 70 years.
At JNTUH, about 25 to 30 in-service professors have the credentials to make the cut, along with a host of retired faculty, said officials. The same is the case with the other state universities.
“All those professors who have held administrative positions in the past will definitely apply. I feel, from JNTUH, about 30 professors might apply for a VC position,” said M Manzoor Hussain, who retired as JNTUH registrar on January 31. He too will be submitting his application shortly. “Even though six of our faculty are either serving or have recently worked as VCs in universities in Andhra Pradesh, no one from JNTUH, Kukatpally campus has been appointed as VC of the varsity in the last 12 years. This needs to change as we know about our problems better. We hope at least this time someone from the city campus sits on the VC’s chair at JNTUH,” he added.
New faces expected?
A clutch of retired professors that TOI spoke to said that all universities could have new faces helming their affairs. “It is unlikely that the current VCs or registrars or those in the higher education council will get the position again this time around. Most likely, there will be new faces appointed as VCs for all universities,” said a retired professor from a state university. According to him, the government will also try to ensure that people from various communities are represented in the VC posts.
The probability of OU walking away with multiple appointments is another discussion doing the rounds in the academic circle. “The university has strong political connections — with many prominent leaders as part of its alumni. No other university professors have that advantage,” said another probable applicant.
Members of the Osmania University Teachers Association, meanwhile, said that current VCs, registrars or even officials of TSCHE who are also applicants, should not be part of the selection process.
While so far, it is primarily in-service professors who have sent in their ‘resumes’ for the top post, the state expects a barrage of applications to pour in from current VCs, registrars, officials of Telangana state council for higher education and senior professors along with retired professors.Sources say most of these candidates will join the fray on the last day and apply to more than one university.
The final count of applicants is expected to touch 50, or even more. Their top choices: Osmania University (OU), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad and Dr BR Ambedkar Open University, largely because they are in Hyderabad.
“We have given a no objection certificate (NOC) to about 10 professors so far — some of whom have applied to as many as eight universities,” said P Laxminarayana, registrar, OU. Here, at least 36 in-service professors, including vice-chancellor D Ravinder and registrar Laxminarayana, among others, are eligible to apply for the VC job.
Apart from them, professors who retired in the last seven years or so are also eligible as the age cut-off is 70 years.
At JNTUH, about 25 to 30 in-service professors have the credentials to make the cut, along with a host of retired faculty, said officials. The same is the case with the other state universities.
“All those professors who have held administrative positions in the past will definitely apply. I feel, from JNTUH, about 30 professors might apply for a VC position,” said M Manzoor Hussain, who retired as JNTUH registrar on January 31. He too will be submitting his application shortly. “Even though six of our faculty are either serving or have recently worked as VCs in universities in Andhra Pradesh, no one from JNTUH, Kukatpally campus has been appointed as VC of the varsity in the last 12 years. This needs to change as we know about our problems better. We hope at least this time someone from the city campus sits on the VC’s chair at JNTUH,” he added.
New faces expected?
A clutch of retired professors that TOI spoke to said that all universities could have new faces helming their affairs. “It is unlikely that the current VCs or registrars or those in the higher education council will get the position again this time around. Most likely, there will be new faces appointed as VCs for all universities,” said a retired professor from a state university. According to him, the government will also try to ensure that people from various communities are represented in the VC posts.
The probability of OU walking away with multiple appointments is another discussion doing the rounds in the academic circle. “The university has strong political connections — with many prominent leaders as part of its alumni. No other university professors have that advantage,” said another probable applicant.
Members of the Osmania University Teachers Association, meanwhile, said that current VCs, registrars or even officials of TSCHE who are also applicants, should not be part of the selection process.