Surat: Heads of various departments at Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) are facing an unusual problem. For the first time in their career, they have been asked to get their guest speaker’s names approved from vice-chancellor Shivendra Gupta. Many HODs have for this reason dropped their plans to hold conferences to be attended by eminent personalities.
A woman HOD was denied permission to hold a conference because the speaker is a known critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The HOD was told to invite some other speaker and within a few days, another HOD was forced to drop his plan to host a specific speaker.
“Now, it has become a regular practice to get names of speakers approved by the vice-chancellor. Without his approval, no department can hold a lecture by any speaker. This autocratic system of the VNSGU authorities is harming the academic environment of the university,” an HOD said.
“In the past, an HOD never had to get names of guest speakers approved. This new system has been brought into practice by the new vice-chancellor and it is proving to be harmful as students are not getting to learn from eminent people,” said another HOD.
One of the HODs cancelled a lecture when he was forced to change the speaker. The HODs now are supposed to give a list having names of five or more speakers to the vice-chancellor from which he approves one or two names. After approval, the concerned HOD is supposed to inform others about the names not approved by the university.
“It is my responsibility to ensure peaceful situation on the campus. If some violent protest takes place against the speaker, then who will be responsible for it?” asked vice-chancellor Shivendra Gupta.
Significantly, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad member Kanu Algotar alias Bharwad had threatened Vipul Somani, head of rural studies department, during the senate meeting recently. The VNSGU authorities are yet to take any action against the senator.
