Next VC of Manipur University

Free Thinker *

Today we don't have a Vice Chancellor of Manipur University. For quite sometime the University is run by a highly able administrator appropriately appointed by the Manipur High Court. There are many limitations to administer a University that too a Central University without a full fledged VC.

Administrator though extra active can't fully function as VC as per the Act and moreover the power and function of a regular VC can't be delegated to any authority for long.

A regular VC for Manipur University is the need of the hour. The concerned authorities particularly the Ministry of HRD must act fast and appoint a regular VC at the earliest.

In the absence of a VC the University has been facing a series of problems in terms of appointments, promotions, academic activities , fiscal administration etc. Administrator's power is limited and he is facing difficulties to handle many issues of the University.

People of Manipur particularly the students community certainly want a good VC for this prestigious Central University. Once upon a time Manipur University was one among the 100 best Universities of the country.

Today the ranking has gone down drastically. The process of appointment of a Vice Chancellor takes time . But it can be hasten taking into account the urgency of the requirement.

As per the UGC ( hope it still exists) norm - persons of the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitment are to be appointed as Vice Chancellors.

The VC to be appointed shall be a distinguished academician with minimum ten years of experience as Professor in a University system or ten years of experience in an equivalent position in a reputed research and/or academic administrative organisation.

"The selection of VC should be through proper identification of a panel of 3-5 names by a Search Committee through public notification or nomination or a relentless search process or in combination.

The members of the above Search Committee shall be persons of eminence in the sphere of higher education and shall not be connected in any manner with the University concerned or its colleges.

While preparing the panel, the Search Committee must give proper weightage to academic excellence, exposure to the higher education system in the country and abroad, and adequate experience in academic and administrative governance to be given in writing along with the panel to be submitted to the Visitor/Chancellor.

The constitution of the Selection Committee could be as per the Act/Statutes to the concerned University."

Then the President/Governor/Visitor/Chancellor shall appoint the VC out of the panel of names recommended by the Search Committee.

It is necessary to carefully compose the Search cum Selection Committee which decides the names of the aspirants to VCs and send the recommended names to the President or Governor or Visitor ( whoever is the competent authority) for approval. If the composition of the Search Committee is faulty its selections are bound to be faulty. So credible Committee is inevitable for the selection of competent VCs.

I am neither a scholar nor an academician but I am certainly a concerned citizen who wants to see our Manipur University as one of the best Universities of the Country . We have a good number of brilliant Professors and excellent faculty members who are at par with the best in the country. Still we are lagging behind in our academic performance.

Something is wrong somewhere. Now it is high time for all of us the faculties, students and the administration of the University to work hand in hand for a brighter future.

Now let us hope we get a Vice Chancellor( insider or outsider) - who is a good academician, having high morality, a person of character with great integrity, an efficient administrator, a broad minded gentleman ( sorry gentlewoman), sociable and very passionate about the teaching and learning.

Above all we need a VC who does not require security guards, who does not need to earn more than the salary , who is not afraid of chatting and laughing with the students and faculties ,who is apolitical and who can fearlessly talk to the patriots and politicians alike.