Indian university V-C search

Reservations on the Draft Regulations
• The regulations indicating the method of appointment of Vice-Chancellors and the broadening of experience prescribed are a subject of discussion.
• The State executive’s role in the selection of Vice-Chancellors (V-C) of State-funded universities has been reduced.
• The draft regulations limit the search-cum-selection committee to highly qualified persons who have held the office of V-C or equivalent.
• The State executive has argued that State universities are largely a product of the State Legislatures and that a majority of their funds and efforts have been provided by the State executive.

Options to Consider
• The representative of the university executive could be a consensus candidate who is informally approved by the State executive.
• The State executive could nominate one member to the search-cum-selection committee in addition to the member representing the University executive.
• The nominee could be stipulated to be a former V-C or equivalent and not enjoying a position of patronage as required of advisers serving the Union Public Service Commission.

Broadening the Field of Experience
• The indication to broaden the field of experience of prospective V-Cs to academically eminent persons who are experienced with public policy, government, the public sector and private sector industry is not controversial.
• The prescribed qualification for a V-C should not be limited to 10 years of professorship or even teaching experience.

The Outlook Must Change
• Post-tertiary education, highly cited and indexed publications, a notable articulation of visionary insights, high communication skills, an ability to network and team work, presentability, dynamism and proof of diverse intellectual achievements, and even sporting traits are well-established international norms.
• Restricting the field of choosing a V-C to the teaching or research professions alone would not be appropriate in a context of rapid change and the dire need to reimagine the Indian university.