HRD Ministry launches fresh search for next UGC vice chairman

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar. (Express photo)

The search for the next vice chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) was launched afresh on Tuesday. The post has been vacant too since Professor H. Debaraj completed his term in March this year.

The government has re-advertised the post almost two weeks after HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar scrapped the selection committee that was tasked with recommending a shortlist of names for the job. The selection panel, headed by higher education secretary KK Sharma, was disbanded after the ministry sat on its recommendations for almost six months.

The selection committee’s suggestions included former UGC secretary Jaspal Singh Sandhu and JNU professor Ashwini Mahapatra. Sandhu was appointed as the vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar in August. UGC’s financial advisor PK Thakur has been officiating as the secretary since then.

The new advertisement has set a month’s deadline to accept applications for the vice chairman’s post. UGC also does not have a regular chairman. Scientist VS Chauhan, who is also a member of the UGC, has been acting as the head for almost nine months.