Appointment of regular V-C for Andhra University likely to delay beyond 2024

If the current situation continues, Andhra University (AU) may not have a new and regular Vice-Chancellor by the end of 2024 calendar year. Sources said that the process is still pending as the concerned authorities have not constituted a search committee so far.

The search committee will have three members — one nominated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the second nominated by the executive council of the concerned university where the post is vacant, and the third nominated by the Andhra Pradesh government.

The search committee will open applications and shortlist three names for a post. The shortlisted names will be sent to the Chief Minister, who will recommend one of them to the Governor. The Governor will then formally announce the name of the candidate.

“The committee, which was supposed to have been formed by the end of November, has not been formed yet. We believe that the government is still in the process of appointing regular V-Cs for all 17 State universities, including AU,” a reliable source told The Hindu on December 8 (Sunday).

On the other hand, the flood of applications and recommendations for the post continues. Sources suggest that each applicant is trying his luck by going around party presidents, MLAs, MPs, ministers and even party leaders like Mr. Nara Lokesh.

“During Mr. Nara Lokesh’s recent visit to Visakhapatnam, some candidates and their supporters tried to recommend their names to him in an informal meeting,” a party candidate alleged.

Speaking to The Hindu, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) State president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao clarified, “The search committee finalises the candidates and takes them directly to the notice of the authorities, including the Chief Minister. Here, no one, including me, has any role in recommending a candidate. So, any allegations or speculations on the recommendations of the candidates are completely untrue.”

The current V-C, Prof. G. Sashibhushahana Rao, assumed office in July, 2024, and will continue as in-charge V-C till a new V-C has been appointed.

The selection process for the V-C post involves the issue of a notification and talent search. The eligibility criteria for the post are: having a distinguished academic record, at least 10 years of experience as a professor in a university, experience in an equivalent position in a research or academic organisation, and demonstrating academic leadership.