UGC norms not met, five Himachal Pradesh varsities without VCs

Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, June 30

Five private universities in the state are without Vice Chancellors as they have failed to comply with the directions of the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission.

The five universities are APG Shimla University, Bahra University, Indus International University, Maharishi Markandeshwar University and Shoolini University.

Eligibility criteria unfulfilled for staff

• A committee to scrutinise documents of faculty of six private universities in state found several failings
• 80 per cent of faculty found ineligible in one university
• 10 to 50 per cent faculty did not meet the eligibility criteria in five universities.

The posts have been lying vacant since last year after a three-member committee constituted by the education regulator pointed out that the VCs of these universities were ineligible for the post. They were either overage or did not have the requisite qualifications and experience as per the UGC norms.

The five universities are yet to appoint VCs and submit a compliance report, confirmed chairman of the regulatory commission Maj Gen Atul Kaushik (retd) while adding that the deadline for the compliance report ended today.

The universities, however, have pleaded that the VCs could not be appointed as per the UGC norms as it was mandatory to have a UGC member on the selection panel.