Panel recommends five-year tenure for VCs of UP universities

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Lucknow: The tenure of vice chancellors in Uttar Pradesh universities should be for five years in place of existing three years, recommended a committee formed by Governor Ram Naik to improve the quality of higher education in the state.

The panel, formed on June 17 to recommend amendments to the State University Act, 1973, had on July 31 submitted its initial report to the governor, who is also the chancellor of state universities.
The five-member committee is led by legal advisor to the governor S S Upadhyay.

So far, the committee has held eight meetings with educationists, VCs and other renowned persons in the field of higher education, Raj Bhavan sources said here.

"The tenure of VCs of state universities should be for five years in place of existing three years. After the end of three years, the chancellor to give a two-year extension if he is satisfied with the VCs working," the panel has recommended.

For affiliation of colleges from the universities, the panel has recommended that a three-member committee, including the sub-divisional magistrate concerned, professors of the university concerned and a senior government officer, should inspect colleges and submit a report along with videos of the facilities available at the college.

The universities are expected to decide on affiliation within a stipulated time period otherwise it would deemed to be automatically forwarded to the chancellor's office for a final decision.

The committee has recommended that teachers can avail leave without pay for 10 years in place of existing five years, with certain conditions.

For increasing university fee, the committee has proposed that they should sent its proposal to the state government for a final decision within 30 days and if no decision comes in this period it will be deemed as approved.

On issues of increasing retirement age of teachers of state colleges and universities from 62 to 65 years, promotions and others, the committee will start the second round of meetings from August 19.

The committee has also been entrusted with the task as to how private universities are regulated with one Act as presently they are governed by differed Acts and how they can improve quality of education.