Academic stalemate: HPU, Palampur university await new Vice-Chancellors

The failure of the state government to appoint Vice-Chancellors (VCs) at Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla, and Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, has severely impacted research, teaching and academic activities in these institutions.

According to information gathered by The Tribune, HPU has been without a full-time VC for the past three years. Though the selection process has begun, the state government has yet to finalise an appointment. Currently, the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, who also serves as the Chancellor of HPU, has appointed an acting VC.

Similarly, Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University, Palampur, has been without a VC since August 2023, following the retirement of former VC HK Chaudhary. While the government had formed a selection committee, the state High Court stayed the process due to irregularities in the appointment of committee members. In the interim, Dr Naveen Kumar, the senior-most professor, has been appointed acting VC.

The prolonged delay in these appointments is attributed to a lack of consensus between Raj Bhavan and the state government, which has stalled decision-making and affected academic and research progress. In the history of Himachal Pradesh, VC posts have never remained vacant for such an extended period.

Adding to the crisis, the post of Chairman of the Private University Regulatory Commission has also been vacant since August 2023. The issue was recently raised by Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur in the state Assembly, but the government has not provided any timeline for filling these crucial positions.

Senior professors have voiced concerns over the government’s apparent neglect of higher education, warning that the absence of VCs has left universities without leadership to make key policy decisions. They emphasised that such delays could have long-term consequences for academic institutions in the state.