JNU VC shortlisted candidate well past age limit

At least one of the candidates reportedly shortlisted for the post of vice chancellor of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, is well past the age limit mentioned in the advertisement, put out by the HRD ministry seeking applications for the post.

Well known malaria researcher V S Chauhan, a former director of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Delhi, is understood to have crossed the first hurdle in which a search-cum-selection committee picked up four candidates from an initial list of 15.

According to the advertisement issued by the Union human resource ministry on August 15, the age of the vice chancellor should not be more than 65 years on the last day of filing application, which was September 14, 2015.

With a date of birth of March 3, 1950, Chauhan's current age is six months more than 65 years as stipulated in the advertisement.

Besides Chauhan, other shortlisted candidates are R N K Bamezai and Ramakrishna Ramaswami from JNU and Chandrakala Padia, chairperson of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla. The age of Bamezai and Ramaswami are within the limit whereas Padias age is ‘not known.

The shortlisted candidates were identified by a four member search panel, headed by D P Singh, director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council and a former vice chancellor of three universities including the Benaras Hindu University.

Incidentally Chauhan is the chairman of the executive committee of the NAAC.
“Whatever we have done is as per the provisions in the JNU Act. The appointment of a vice chancellor is always done as per the act, governing an university. I can not tell you anything more than this,” Singh told Deccan Herald. Another search committee member refused to talk.

A final decision on the new JNU VC would have to be taken by the HRD Ministry with the concurrence of the President, who is the visitor of the university. The tenure of the incumbent VC Sudhir Kumar Sopory – also a scientist from ICGEB – will end in January 2016.