In News
- Recently, the Kerala Assembly passed the University Laws (Amendment) Bill 2022 which alters the composition of the search-cum-selection committee to appoint Vice Chancellors and effectively provide the State government greater leverage in the process.
About the amendments in the Bill
- Changes in the appointment process
- It proposes changes in the appointment process of vice-chancellors in state universities.
- Selection committee
- The bill was passed with a key amendment brought in by the government to replace the earlier clause that the vice-chairman of the state higher education council would be a member of the VC selection committee and also its convener.
- Now, a nominee of the government and an academic nominated by the higher education council vice-chairman will now be part of the panel.
- Age Limit
- The maximum age limit of a person to be appointed as vice chancellor has been raised to 65 from 60 years as per the new bill.
Arguments in Favour
- No rights of the chancellor are being curtailed through the amendments.
- The amendment was brought in to avoid legal tangles in future.
- Only the number of members in the selection-cum-search committee has been increased.
- The Higher Education Council vice chairman would not be a member of the search committee as pointed out by the opposition but only his nominee.
Arguments against
- Amendments were made to facilitate appointment of people close to the ruling front.
- This will lead to a scenario in which the governor can appoint only those who are close to the government.
Source: TH
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