The interview for selection of Gauhati University (GU) vice-chancellor, scheduled for Saturday, was deferred after Gauhati High Court has passed a stay order on the appointment of the vice-chancellor.
A writ petition was filed just a day before the interview against the unconstitutional inclusion of a member in the advisory committee for the appointment of the vice-chancellor, The Telegraph reported.
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The hearing to this petition has been deferred to September 24. Till then, the high court passed a stay order on the appointment process.
“The problem cropped up after a former professor, Dulal Chandra Goswami, was nominated as a member in the advisory committee of the vice-chancellor’s appointment by the university’s executive council, the highest panel of GU,” a source said.
According to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Rules and Regulations 2010, the selection of a vice-chancellor should be done through proper identification of a panel of around five names by a search committee through a public notification or nomination or a talent search process or in combination.
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The members of the panel in such case shall not be connected in any manner with the university concerned or its colleges.
“Goswami had been a member of a legally constituted selection committee of the university. The executive council on April 24, 2017, nominated him as a member to another selection committee. Then he was also appointed as a member of the advisory committee of the vice-chancellor appointment process. This violates the UGC norms,” the source said.
“I filed a writ petition in the high court on Friday against the inclusion of an unconstitutional member in the advisory committee,” Gauhati University Teachers’ Association (GUTA) president Archana Sarmah was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Senior advocate U.K. Nayar, assisted by advocate Nayanjyoti Medhi, defended the petition in the court.
GU vice-chancellor Mridul Hazarika said, “We got the notice from the high court the day the petition was filed. I was present there on Friday for the hearing. Since the notice did not reach Goswami, the hearing has been deferred to September 24. Till then the entire process of appointment of a vice-chancellor has been kept under the purview of the high court.”
Another petition has been filed in the court against the continuation of Hazarika, whose tenure ended on August 17.
Hazarika said his tenure was not an extension but a continuation based on a letter issued from Raj Bhavan.
“Debajit Deka of Ram Sena had filed a petition against my continuation, which will also be heard in the court on September 24. Through the letter, I have been asked to continue till the new vice-chancellor is appointed,” he added.