In an ongoing dispute between the West Bengal government and Governor CV Anand Bose, who serves as the Chancellor of the state’s universities, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the constitution of a joint Search Selection Committee to resolve the deadlock over the appointment of Vice-Chancellors (VCs). This decision aims to streamline the VC appointment process in West Bengal universities, ensuring a fair and transparent selection.
The committee, which will consist of five members and be headed by former Chief Justice of India UU Lalit, must be constituted within two weeks. Former CJI UU Lalit will serve as the chairperson. The committee’s primary responsibility is to prepare a panel of three names for each university’s VC position, listed alphabetically rather than by merit.
The recommendations made by the committee, duly endorsed by the chairperson, will be presented to the State’s Chief Minister (CM). The CM can review the panel and, if there are any concerns about the suitability of the candidates, must raise these concerns along with supporting evidence to the Chancellor within two weeks. Additionally, the CM has the authority to rank the shortlisted candidates in order of preference, and the Chancellor will appoint the VCs following this order. If the Chancellor has any reservations or objections, he must provide detailed reasons and supporting material.
The Supreme Court has set a specific timeline to ensure a smooth and timely process. The entire process, from the formation of the committee to the final appointment of VCs, is expected to be completed within three months. In case of disagreement over the shortlisted names, the Court will have the final say, ensuring a fair opportunity for objections to be heard. Former CJI UU Lalit will be compensated Rs 3 lakhs per effective committee meeting, and the state will cover other committee expenses.
The directive follows a Special Leave Petition filed by the State of West Bengal, challenging a June 2023 Calcutta High Court judgment that upheld interim VC appointments made by Governor Bose in 13 universities. The appointments had been a point of contention, leading to a prolonged deadlock between the state government and the Governor.
Efforts to break the impasse included the proposal to form a joint Search Selection Committee. However, the formation of the committee faced challenges as neither the Governor nor the University Grants Commission (UGC) responded with nominees, as the state government alleged. In April, the Court was informed that the Governor had agreed to fill six VC vacancies from a list recommended by the West Bengal Government, with the remaining vacancies to be addressed later.
Previously, the Court had issued a warning to both parties, stating that it would intervene and appoint the VCs if an amicable resolution was not reached. This warning came after it was revealed that out of fifteen candidates recommended by the state for VC positions, the Chancellor found seven to be unsuitable and did not consider the rest. Consequently, the Court ordered that the remaining eight candidates be appointed within one week and directed the state government to propose additional names for reconsideration by the Chancellor.
Following these developments, the Court emphasised the need to constitute the Search Committee before the next hearing on July 12, 2024. The committee’s formation is a crucial step towards resolving the dispute and ensuring the effective functioning of universities in West Bengal.
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