Srinagar, Oct 20: While Professor Khurshid Ahmad Andrabi’s three year term ended on October 17, the authorities are yet to decide on the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for the Kashmir University.Professor Andrabi was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the Kashmir University in 2014 for three years.However, the government is yet to decide on appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor.Last month, a search committee was framed, comprising of Professor D P Aggarwal, former chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Prof. Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain, VC of the Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi along with Prof. Vinay Gupta, incumbent VC of the Sharda University, Noida was formed to look for the new VC.However, sources said that the committee members met only once since the formation and has not taken any decision yet.The Kashmir University is yet to issue the notification to seek applications from the eligible candidates for the Vice-Chancellor’s post.“The term of Professor Andrabi ended but the notification to seek application has not been issued yet. There is complete confusion,” a Kashmir University Professor, who is also a probable candidate for the Vice-Chancellor’s post, said.He said that the search committee also met Governor N N Vohra on Tuesday. “We are waiting for the notifications so that eligible candidates could apply,” he added.
Several Kashmir University professors like Professor Akbar Masood, Professor Mustafa Shah, Professor G M Sangmi are among the eligible ones to apply for the Vice-Chancellor’s post.However, a senior official said that the BJP wants a non-Kashmiri to be posted as the Vice-Chancellor of the university. “The BJP believes that Azaadi sentiment is strong at the varsity. To counter that they want a non-Kashmiri as Vice-Chancellor of the varsity,” the official said, wishing not to be quoted by name.Several senior Kashmir University said that they will issue notifications when get directions from the top. “We can’t say when will be new Vice-Chancellor appointed. Till than Professor Andrabi will continue,” the official said.Earlier, there were reports that Professor Andrabi may get the five year term as per the amendments of April 2015 order.The amendments, brought in the J&K government gazette vide notification dated 7th April 2015, reads: “This Act may be called the Kashmir and Jammu Universities (Amendment) Act, 2015. It shall come into force from the date of publication in the Government Gazette. In sub-section (5) of Section (12) of the Kashmir and Jammu Universities Act, 1969, for the words “three years”, the words “five years” shall be substituted.”