JOIN USVice-Chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev is yet to approve the appointment of registrar (Administration) Dr M G Krishnan and registrar (Evaluation) Dr M S Talawar.
The apparent deadlock may have a direct bearing on colleges in some parts of the State that are affiliated to the university. The issue also brings into focus the high-handedness exercised by the VC when it comes to the posting of important officials.
Sources said the VC was unhappy with the appointments, overlooking his recommendations to the Higher Education Department. The current Registrar in-charge T R Subramanya is said to be the VC’s man for the post.
Sections of the media reported on Sunday that the VC had met the chief minister in a last- ditch effort to cancel the appointments.
The Higher Education Department issued orders on Friday appointing the two “with immediate effect.” However, when they reported to the VC on Monday, the latter reportedly asked them to wait for the chief minister’s clarification.
Highly placed sources said the VC was contemplating bringing a high court stay on the appointments. Curiously, this is the latest in a series of incidents after the transfer of former registrar Sanjay Vir Singh, when political forces turned the varsity into a battleground.
It is still unclear if the VC has powers to challenge the appointment of members to top posts by the department as it is the first time that academics were chosen. For the record, the State Government had passed a resolution to appoint only academics to the post.
Under the Karnataka State Universities Act 2000, only IAS and KAS officers are eligible to be appointed to the posts of registrar and registrar (Evaluation). However, according to the Act, if a suitable candidate is not found for the post of registrar (Evaluation), the VC can appoint a person of his choice, which has to be approved by the syndicate.
In an apparently curious sequence of events, when the new registrars reported for duty, the VC was initially said to have asked the two to wait as he was in an “urgent meeting”. Later, when he met the two officials, the VC reportedly congratulated them even as informing them that he was still waiting for instructions from the chief minister.
Meanwhile, Dr Krishnan, Head of the Department, Political Science, and Dr Talawar, head of the UGC staff college, have submitted a duty report to the VC’s office and have also sent a copy to the government. Sources said the two were extremely embarrassed over the turn of events and were undecided about the next course of action.