In U-turn, Karnataka govt's draft Bill retains Guv's V-C power

Preempting a confrontation with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Basavaraj Bommai government has retained Raj Bhavan's authority to appoint vice chancellors in an upcoming law that proposed to take it away.

Under the Karnataka Public Higher Education Institutions Bill, the power to appoint vice-chancellors will remain with the Governor, who is also Chancellor of the universities. The Bill will replace the Karnataka State Universities Act.

Initially, the draft Bill said that vice-chancellors would be appointed by a Board of Governors in every university. However, the Karnataka State Higher Education Council withdrew the draft and has come out with a new one in which the Governor will continue to appoint vice-chancellors in consultation with the state government.

The U-turn comes at a time when non-BJP-ruled states such as West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are at loggerheads with their respective governors.

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A source told DH that the "correction" was made mainly to avoid confrontation with Raj Bhavan. "This correction was done after a meeting with the law department," the source said.

However, the proposal to have a Board of Governors has been retained. The Board of Governors will replace the Syndicate. Each board will be headed by a corporate/industry veteran.

Another provision empowering the Board of Governors to appoint registrars and finance officers has been withdrawn based on a recommendation by the finance department. According to the updated draft Bill, registrars and finance officers will be appointed by the government.

The updated draft Bill is available on the KSHEC website for public feedback until December 19. The government is likely to introduce the Bill in the Belagavi legislature session.

Meanwhile, a section of academicians expressed unhappiness over the new Bill as it would allow industrialists into universities. "I feel the government is corporatising universities by bringing industry people on board," a senior Bengaluru City University professor said.

A former vice-chancellor said: "If the government is allowing corporate representatives in public institutions in the name of Board of Governors, then there should be academicians in industries."