JOIN USGovt unhappy over KUD VC appointment
The Government had suggested the name of Prof S B Hinchigeri, Registrar, Karnatak University for the VC post. Overlooking it, the Governor has appointed Dr Walikar, Chairman of Department of Computer Science, Karnatak University.
The VC’s term will commence from October 25 after the retirement of the incumbent Prof S K Saidapur, whose term concludes on October 24, according to a notification issued by Raj Bhavan dated October 18.
The search committee constituted by the government had recommended three names to the government which included Prof Walikar, Prof Thimme Gowda and Prof S B Hinchigeri. Among the three, the Governor decided to appoint Prof Walikar, “Keeping in view merit, equity and social justice”.
The government had favoured Prof Hinchigeri, a Lingayat. But the governor, in his capacity as the Chancellor, settled for Prof Walikar, who belongs to the backward classes. As a good number of state universities are already headed by VCs who are Lingayats, the preference was given to the backward classes, official sources said.
In a letter to G V Krishna Rau, Principal Secretary to the Governor on October 19, Minister Acharya said the government has not concurred with the appointment made by the Governor. He has asked the officer to convey the same to the Governor.
The Minister told the officer that the government had suggested Prof Hinchigeri’s name to the VC post, to the Governor. Quoting Section 14 (4) of Karnataka Universities Act 2000, the minister said it was clear that the Chancellor shall appoint one person from the panel as VC only with the concurrence of the government.
“Considering these aspects, I would request you to bring it to the kind notice of the the Governor that the government do not concur with the appointment made by him,” Acharya said.
Walikar is the 12th Vice Chancellor of the University. Dr Walikar, who is presently working as Head of the Department of Computer Science, KUD hails from Yaragal in Muddebihal taluk of Bijapur district.
An alumni of KUD, Dr Walikar got his PhD in Mathematics for his thesis on the Graph Theory from the same University.
He also served as a senior lecturer at Bangalore Government Science College and as a nodal officer for the KUD E-Governance Project. He had a short stint with Rani Chennamma PG Centre in Belgaum as an administrative officer.
Apart from associating with various prestigious professional bodies, he has published a number of articles in national and international research magazines.