The post of vice-chancellor of the Lucknow University has fallen vacant following appointment of Prof AS Brar as vice-chancellor of the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Prof Brar has accepted the offer and would take up his new assignment in two weeks time. This means that he will leave Lucknow University in the middle of three years term which was till January 2010.
Prof Brar got the appointment letter on Thursday evening. “I have decided to take up the new task,” he told TOI soon after. However, Raj Bhawan has not received any communication about Prof Brar’s appointment as vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University.
Prof Brar said that he would meet governor TV Rajeswar, who is also chancellor of the state universities, on Friday to hand over his resignation. However, he added, that he would stay in the Lucknow University for two weeks to wind up important pending work before leaving for Amritsar.
Interestingly, Prof Brar will be heading the university from where he started his academic career as a lecturer in 1976 before moving to IIT-Delhi. But the decision to leave midway has created a crisis in the Lucknow University as a search committee will take at least three to four months to select a new V-C.
The search committee is constituted by the chancellor but Rajeswar’s term is also expiring this month. Under these circumstances, Lucknow University will have to make an adhoc arrangement for the top post till it gets a new V-C.
As per the convention, pro-vice-chancellor can be asked to discharge the duties as “officiating vice-chancellor” till university gets a regular one. If pro-vice-chancellor is unavailable for the job, the senior most professor in the university can be appointed as officiating vice-chancellor for six months or till a new vice-chancellor is appointed, whichever comes first. Maximum the term of officiating vice-chancellor can be extended for a year. Chancellor may also give the charge of vice-chancellorship to the divisional commissioner.
While the university teachers were busy speculating as to who would be the new vice-chancellor, Prof Brar was happy with the new job. In an informal chat, he admitted that working in UP universities was difficult because of the employees/student unions and financial crisis. “In comparison, universities in Punjab are financially strong, have no union problems and provide more freedom to work,” he said. However, he thanked Lucknow University students, teachers and employees for their help and cooperation in last one-and-half years.
“I took many steps to improve Lucknow University academically and I hope the new incumbent would take it to new heights,” Prof Brar said while pointing out the examination and academic reforms executed by him — from change in question paper pattern to swapping of examination centres to check copying and from introducing semester system and entrance exam for enrolment as PhD scholar. But a section of teachers described him as `dictator’ who demolished conventions and preferred `old stuff’ in his administrative set up over young and competent.
Posted By Staff Reporter
in Punjab News
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