Mysore Varsity Vice-Chancellor postin

Mysore/Mysuru: Former Minister M. Shivanna (Kote) has urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who is also the Chancellor of Universities in Karnataka, to resolve the controversy surrounding the appointment of Vice-Chancellor (VC) for University of Mysore (UoM) with the aid of legal experts by getting the interim stay order of High Court vacated and appoint a full-time VC at the earliest.

In a press release, Shivanna, who is also the former Chairman of Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Commission, stated that “It has been three weeks since HC ordered interim stay on the appointment of Prof. N.K. Lokanath as VC, after Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy and Prof. Venkatesh Kumar moved the Court stating that Prof. Lokanath was not eligible for the post.”

Now, to take care of the daily affairs of the Varsity, the Registrar and Finance Officer have been delegated the responsibility, which is deemed to be a bad precedent in public circle. According to my understanding, the VC could have been appointed as per University Act 2000, but by not doing so, the reputation of the Varsity has suffered a dent, added Shivanna.

Though the Search Committee had rejected several names, another Committee was formed and the name of Prof. Lokanath, who had been rejected, was included in place of Prof. Venkatesh Kumar and saw to it that his (Prof. Lokanath) name was recommended for the post and was made the VC.

“I believe the Raj Bhavan is seized of all these developments and still the Governor can order for probe into this,” he said.

It may be mentioned that following the end of tenure of the then VC Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, a Search Committee had been constituted under the Chairmanship of Prof. Shivakumar, to appoint a new VC. After much deliberation, the names of Prof. Venkatesh Kumar, Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy and Prof. Gurudatta had been recommended to the Government on the basis of merit and seniority. It was also believed that one among the three may be the VC.

Amid this development, Prof. Rajashekar whose application had been rejected by the Search Panel moved the HC. The Court in its order in March had directed to appoint one among the three recommended by the Panel as VC. Had the VC been appointed then, this situation wouldn’t have arisen, added Shivanna.