Jammu CU all set to lose one more academic year

JAMMU, Apr 14: The Central University of Jammu, which was sanctioned by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry following massive agitation in this part of the State, is all set to lose one more academic year as there is no end to the stalemate over appointment of Vice-Chancellor even after the lapse of one and half year. On the other side, the Central University of Kashmir has geared up to start its second academic session and got four more courses sanctioned from the HRD Ministry.
Official sources said that the process for new academic session in the Central Universities begins in the month of June when all India level Combined Entrance Test (CET) is conducted for selection of students in different streams and the entire exercise is completed by first week of August to pave the way for start of session. Moreover, prior to the conduct of CET, a minimum of two months time is required to make preparations for the start of academic session.
Keeping this schedule in view, all the Central Universities of the country, including that of Kashmir, have geared up to begin new academic session. The Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir has even obtained sanction from the HRD Ministry for start of four more courses like MA in Economics, MA/ MSc Mathematics, MA in Journalism and five years Integrated BA LLB.
However, as no name has so far been cleared by the President of India, Pratibha Devi Singh Patil, who is the Visitor of all the Central Universities of country, for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Jammu and only one and half months time is left for holding CET, it seems that this varsity is going to lose one more academic year, sources said, adding "even if VC is appointed within next few days it would really be a daunting task for starting academic session".
"It is really a matter of serious concern that a university, which got sanctioned from the HRD Ministry after a massive struggle, is caught in the quagmire because of the rigid attitude of some quarters to accept only local as its Vice-Chancellor and indifferent attitude of the State Government about vigorously pursuing the matter with the Union Government keeping in view the sentiments of Jammu people", observers said.
When contacted, Minister for Higher Secondary, Abdul Gani Malik said, "we are still looking at the HRD Ministry with the hope that impasse over appointment of VC is settled at the earliest and Central University becomes functional". He, however, expressed ignorance about present status of the panel of academicians recommended for the post.
Member Parliament, Ch Lal Singh, who raised the issue of Central University of Jammu in the Parliament a number of times, when contacted, said, "the immediate solution to the impasse is to appoint a caretaker of the University in order to make it functional and this suggestion was made before the Union HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal in a recent meeting".
"I have told Mr Sibal that preference should be to make the varsity functional and it should not be held hostage to the impasse over the appointment of VC", he said, adding "the issue of VC can be decided later by the Search Committee of the Ministry".
Retired Judge, Pavitar Singh, who spearheaded the agitation for the Central University, said, "State Government is responsible for the delay in appointment of VC. As a Pro-Chancellor of Jammu and Kashmir Universities, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah is very well aware of those local academicians, who are competent enough to hold the post of VC of Central University and he should vigorously purse the matter with the Union Government".
To a question, he said, "we were opposed to Prof Amitabh Mattoo as he is more a politician than academician. We want preference should be given to the local academicians than from outside and only apolitical person should be selected for the post".