Guv appoints officiating VC, 'hesitates' to extend Shetye's term
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 22 October 2015 17:05 IST
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar received a severe blow today as Governor Mridula Sinha declined to extend the term of Goa University vice chancellor Dr Satish Shetye by two more years.
Instead, she has directed the university authorities that Dr Shetye should hand over the charge to Dr Y V R Reddy, the seniormost Dean of Commerce faculty, as the officiating vice chancellor.
Dr Shetye completes 65 years on 25 October.
While conveying her official decision to relieve Dr Shetye, sources in the university reveal that Sinha has unofficially conveyed to CM Parsekar that she will not accept the proposal to extend Shetye’s term.
However, sources in the government claim that the proposal is not rejected outrightly but some technical issues have been raised by Governor’s office.
Government sources also confirm that the file pertaining to the government proposal has not yet come back from the Raj Bhavan.
The government proposal in this regard was recently routed through the Executive Council of Goa University to Governor Sinha, who is also the Chancellor of Goa University.
The proposal actually did not speak about extending Dr Shetye’s term but changing the statutes of Goa University related to the term of the vice chancellor.
Reportedly at the initiative of Parsekar, the government proposed to increase the upper age of vice chancellor from 65 to 70 years.
The 1950-born Dr Shetye, who was appointed the VC on 17 September 2012, is completing 65 years on 25 October.
Shetye, the only Goan VC appointed till date, thus serves the university for only three years.
The government proposal was examined by the law department as well as had a nod from Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni.
The proposal had also quoted the Central University Act 2009, which has a provision of vice chancellor having upper age limit of 70 years.
The draft of the amendment to the statute was forwarded by the government to the EC, which reportedly had approved it on 15 October and forwarded it to the Chancellor for the final approval.
Instead of signing the proposal, Sinha wrote back to the university that Shetye should hand over the charge to officiating vice chancellor.
University sources claim that this was in reply to the letter sent almost a month ago to make alternate arrangement as Shetye’s term officially expires by 24 October.
However, if Sinha sticks to her stand and rejects the government proposal, then the Goa University will have to consider names to be recommended by the Search Committee.
Dr Shetye was also recommended by the search committee, headed by Dr Anil Kakodkar.
He had joined as the vice chancellor after retiring as the director of Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography.
Extension should be given because somebody is a Goan. Main thing should be considered is what were their contributions-- especially in research and growth of the university.