Hyderabad: For close to three weeks, IAS officers burdened with as many as five government departments have also been running state universities. As a result, major decisions have been pending since the start of the academic year and both professors and students are demanding full-time Vice-Chancellors.
Osmania University (OU) officials said promotions are pending. About 150 assistant professors are waiting to become associate professors; only then would they be eligible to be PhD examiners, much required in the varsity.
Though bureaucrats immediately rectify minor issues like water shortage and streetlights, they are not equipped to deal with student union issues. Students recently staged a hunger strike regarding research scholar fellowships.
The Central government’s ranking system means state varsities have to gear up to perform well. New projects have to be taken forward but there is no clarity on how and in what manner.
Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University and Telangana University are run by commissioner of commercial taxes Anil Kumar, who handles four other departments. He manages to attend the varsity thrice a week. Telugu University officials said he was leaving the university’s major decisions for the permanent VC.
A search committee for the regular VCs. will be decided by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on September 24.
