Former pro VC, deans, HoDs, directors in race for Ngp University VC post

Nagpur: Around 10 applicants, including a former pro-vice chancellor, two deans, director of Nagpur University’s (NU) autonomous college, former director of Internal Quality Assurance Cell, three professors from PG departments and a couple of principals are among those so far shortlisted and asked to appear for an interaction on July 31 and 31 with the NU’s VC search panel.
These candidates would make a presentation before the panel through video conferencing as per the mails received by them.
The process for new the vice chancellor’s selection has gained steam after chancellor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s office asking the panel to recommend the ultimate five names by July-end.
The panel had received a whopping 130 applications and it took over a month to shortlist the candidates. Though the exact number of candidates shortlisted is yet to be disclosed, TOI has learnt that 12 applicants, including a woman HoD and a professor, had applied for the coveted post.
In its July 13 issue, TOI had reported that Koshyari’s office had asked the search committee led by former chief justice of Allahabad High Court Dilip Bhosale to speed up the process which has been moving at a snail’s pace due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The panel also comprises principal secretary Sanjay Chahande along with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, chairman Abhay Karandikar, who was nominated by NU’s management and academic councils. NU’s deputy registrar Wasim Ahmed is the liaisoning officer while IIT Bombay registrar R Premkumar is the nodal officer.
NU officials said it is likely that around 30 to 40 applicants have been shortlisted and the interactions have been staggered over a period of a couple of days.
Following their interaction, the panel is likely to recommend the final five names to the chancellor who will name the new VC. As VC appointments have been political in nature, the fight for the post is set to be an exciting one with the MVA government in power and the governor belonging to the rival camp.