Ordinance issued to extend VC's term by 1 yr, Kamat to continue as Registrar
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 23 October 2015 23:04 IST
The Bharatiya Janata Party government today utilised its powers and extended the term of Goa University Vice Chancellor Dr Satish Shetye by issuing an ordinance.
The ordinance extends the term of present VC by one more year, said Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
He also told goanews.com that Vijayendra Kamat would also continue to be the Registrar.
Governor Mridula Sinha, as the Chancellor of the GU, had refused to give her approval to the decision of the GU Executive Council to change the statutes and increase the VC’s age limit to 70 years.
Shetye’s term expires tomorrow as 1950-born VC completes 65 years on 25 October.
In order to speed up the matter and retain him, a cabinet note was circulated today and decision was taken to extend Dr Shetye’s term by one year.
According to Parsekar, Dr Shetye would continue to be the VC till a new incumbent is found and appointed.
His government had however earlier recommended to the GU executive council to change the statutes and get his term extended for five years.
Due to the limit of 65 years, Dr Shetye was getting retired within three years.
The amendment to the statute was to increase the upper age to 70 years or five years, quoting central university act 2009.
Governor Sinha, also the chancellor, had refused to approve the decision when she realised that the EC, chaired by the VC himself, had no powers to change the statues to get his own term extended.
“He is a Goan and an efficient vice chancellor. We thus wanted to give him total five years to execute his plans”, said Parsekar.
The government is confident that the Governor would give her assent to the ordinance issued last minute.
Parsekar said that Kamat would also continue to be the registrar, though the Governor had earlier instructed also to relive him along with Dr Shetye.
The final picture would be clear once Sinha gives her assent to the ordinance.
Wa wa wa. Now Goa University is also under political attack. VC and registrar will have their political masters at the Secretariat. So much for academic excellence and transparencyy.