Bihar: Acting VCs asked not to take policy decision

Patna: Governor-cum-chancellor Fagu Chauhan has asked the acting vice-chancellors (VC) of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University-Bhagalpur, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University-Muzaffarpur and Nalanda Open University-Patna not to take any policy decision and perform only their routine tasks.

In a recent circular issued to the VCs, the chancellor said they should not convene and preside over the meeting of selection committee or any other promotion committee.

“Such VCs should not convene the meetings of senate, syndicate and academic council. They should also not initiate any process of new appointment or recruitment. They must refrain from taking any decision, which has financial implications, and initiating any new construction work or floating fresh tender,” the circular read.

The chancellor’s secretariat has, however, clarified that if, in the interest of the university, policy decisions are required to be taken, then it will be mandatory for the acting VCs to seek prior permission of the chancellor.

TMBU has been functioning without a regular VC for the past few months, following the resignation of Vibhas Chandra Jha, who had joined the office on July 23.

Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University VC Awadh Kishor Roy has been officiating as its VC since then.

BRABU and NOU are also going without regular VCs for the last few months. While the office of VC in BRABU fell vacant when he was asked by the chancellor to resign, the office of the VC in NOU fell vacant when incumbent Ravindra Kumar Sinha resigned on his own to join another university in Jammu. For some time, Purnea University VC Rajesh Singh was asked to officiate as the VC of BRABU in addition to his own duty, but soon he was replaced by pro-VC R K Mandal of the same university.

Similarly, Patna University VC Rash Bihari Prasad Singh was made to officiate as the VC of NOU after the resignation of Sinha, but only after a few months, he was replaced by Patliputra University VC Gulab Chand Ram Jaiswal to officiate as the VC of NOU in addition to his own duties.

The posts of VCs in all the three universities have already been advertised by the chancellor’s secretariat and fresh appointments are likely to be made within a month.