Raj Assembly passes bills for appointment of vice-chancellors of universities as per UGC norms

The Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday passed the Universities' Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Rajasthan Technical Universities Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by voice vote.

Both the bills sought to include provisions of appointment of competent and committed persons as vice-chancellor of any university as per the UGC norms and also includes provisions to remove the vice-chancellor from the post.

The bills were proposed by Higher Education Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati and Technical Education Minister Subhash Garg.

Both ministers proposed that in order to give effect to clause 7.3 of the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018 regarding possession of the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitment by a person to be appointed as vice-chancellor, it is considered appropriate to incorporate the provision relating thereto.

Moreover, there is no provision for removal of a vice-chancellor in the Universities' laws, if any unprecedented condition warrants it, before the end of his tenure. Therefore, provision relating to the removal of a vice-chancellor is also required to be included, they said.

The clause has been included in The Universities' Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and The Rajasthan Technical Universities Law (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and following the discussion, the aforesaid bills were passed by voice vote.