Politics to become history in V-C appointments?

BANGALORE: The appointments of vice-chancellors in public universities in the state may soon be rid of political interference. According to sources in the Higher Education Department, the Karnataka State Universities (KSU) Act, 2000, will be amended in the coming months, especially  with regard to the appointments of vice-chancellors and registrars.“The appointment of V-Cs now is highly politicised. There is a strong possibility that the KSU Act will be amended such that they will be free of political hold. This will also minimise the government’s say in the appointments,” a top official told Express on Sunday. Sources in the state government believe that the plan to amend the legislation comes days after Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda participated in a programme organised by the forum of Former Vice-Chancellors of Karnataka State Universities (FVCK). “The Chief Minister’s participation in that programme transpired into something,” said the sources, adding that the government-constituted committee headed by former  vice-chancellor of Bangalore University Prof N R Shetty had already submitted its report on the amendments to the KSU Act.An official on condition of anonymity hinted that the process of appointment of registrars may also be amended. “With a paucity of teaching staff, there is no reason for a professor to occupy a non-teaching position, which involves only administration. The only way out is amending the Act,” the official said.The appointment of registrars in universities has always been a matter of debate. It may be recalled that in December 2009, Governor and Chancellor of state universities H R Bhardwaj wrote to then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa asking him to adhere to Section 17 (1) of the KSU Act. The provision states that “an officer belonging to the All-India Services working in super-time scale may be appointed as registrar”.