VCs have powers to recruit varsity faculty, says Governor

Governor Vajubhai Vala, who is chancellor of all the universities in the state, on Monday said that a vice chancellor (VC) has powers to recruit professors and other faculty members to the vacant posts in government and government-aided universities.

The VC need not ask for any prior permission from the government to make such appointments, he opined.

Speaking at the summit of representatives of all the affiliated and autonomous engineering colleges of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) here, the governor said that whenever a post falls vacant, the government takes nearly two years to fill it by following the procedures, which hampers students' education.

He said that even in the matter of procuring certain equipment or instruments for the colleges, there is no need to seek any approval and, the VC can go ahead and procure the required infrastructure for the college.

Vala said that if there are no professors or the required instruments or infrastructure, such college must be closed down the following academic year. Permission should also not be given to such colleges, which do not have facilities to teach students, he added.

VTU vice chancellor Dr Karisiddappa told presspersons that a circular was issued last week where an 'enabling' clause was introduced to the statute of the university, empowering the VC to take a call on recruitment. Earlier, though the VC had such power, there was still a need to take prior approval from the government to exercise it, he added.