<p>Bangalore University has for decades now been known more for controversies and internal politics than for academic pursuits and excellence. In fact, it has for long been said that there is more politics in Bangalore University than in the corridors of power at Vidhana Soudha. Though the university, which was at one point unmanageable due to its sheer size, has now been split into three for better administration and engineering and medical colleges have been brought under separate universities for them, it continues to be in the news for all the wrong reasons. This time around, the Vice-Chancellor, K R Venugopal, and the nominated members of the Syndicate are at loggerheads, with the latter demanding action against the VC, and the bad blood between them leading to administrative paralysis. These members, who are usually selected based on their proximity to the ruling party, are up in arms alleging that they have been kept out of Syndicate meetings and important decisions with financial implications have been taken in their absence. They have urged the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, to nullify all such decisions.</p>.<p>Last year, the government had set up a three-member committee to inquire into the alleged financial mismanagement in the varsity as reflected in an audit report. The specific charges against the Vice-Chancellor included a move to relieve the varsity’s finance officer illegally, instigating non-teaching staff to stage protests, appointments and promotions in violation of norms, and not conducting Syndicate meetings on schedule. The government had said that an inquiry was required as fiscal indiscipline and non-coordination among officers had led to a muddled administrative situation that had made the teaching staff and students anxious.</p>.<p>But it is the government itself that is at the root of the university’s problems, as political interference is rampant in everything from the appointment of VCs to the day-to-day running of public universities. A survey by the Association for Policy and Public Awareness has revealed that 75% of VCs are unfit to hold the post as most of them lack the calibre or the vision to steer universities to the next level. Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan had some time ago announced that the government would draw up a list of eminent educationists from which VCs and members of various academic bodies would be appointed but no such action has been taken so far. Universities should be temples of knowledge and not arenas for political slugfests. Merit should be the sole criterion for all university posts. The government can begin the move to cleanse public universities by first adopting a hands-off approach itself and leaving academics to academicians.</p>
<p>Bangalore University has for decades now been known more for controversies and internal politics than for academic pursuits and excellence. In fact, it has for long been said that there is more politics in Bangalore University than in the corridors of power at Vidhana Soudha. Though the university, which was at one point unmanageable due to its sheer size, has now been split into three for better administration and engineering and medical colleges have been brought under separate universities for them, it continues to be in the news for all the wrong reasons. This time around, the Vice-Chancellor, K R Venugopal, and the nominated members of the Syndicate are at loggerheads, with the latter demanding action against the VC, and the bad blood between them leading to administrative paralysis. These members, who are usually selected based on their proximity to the ruling party, are up in arms alleging that they have been kept out of Syndicate meetings and important decisions with financial implications have been taken in their absence. They have urged the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, to nullify all such decisions.</p>.<p>Last year, the government had set up a three-member committee to inquire into the alleged financial mismanagement in the varsity as reflected in an audit report. The specific charges against the Vice-Chancellor included a move to relieve the varsity’s finance officer illegally, instigating non-teaching staff to stage protests, appointments and promotions in violation of norms, and not conducting Syndicate meetings on schedule. The government had said that an inquiry was required as fiscal indiscipline and non-coordination among officers had led to a muddled administrative situation that had made the teaching staff and students anxious.</p>.<p>But it is the government itself that is at the root of the university’s problems, as political interference is rampant in everything from the appointment of VCs to the day-to-day running of public universities. A survey by the Association for Policy and Public Awareness has revealed that 75% of VCs are unfit to hold the post as most of them lack the calibre or the vision to steer universities to the next level. Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan had some time ago announced that the government would draw up a list of eminent educationists from which VCs and members of various academic bodies would be appointed but no such action has been taken so far. Universities should be temples of knowledge and not arenas for political slugfests. Merit should be the sole criterion for all university posts. The government can begin the move to cleanse public universities by first adopting a hands-off approach itself and leaving academics to academicians.</p>
