Indian scholars call for more transparency in senior appointments

As 바카라사이트 Indian government begins to fill openings for top positions in its central universities, scholars have raised concerns over 바카라사이트 opacity of its appointment process. They say that past mistakes could have been avoided with more public knowledge of criteria for choosing vice-chancellors and of which academics make 바카라사이트 shortlist.

On 8 October, Yogesh Singh took up 바카라사이트 mantle as vice-chancellor at India¡¯s prestigious University of Delhi (DU). His appointment is one of several 바카라사이트 government is expected to confirm in coming months.

In June, top spots in more than one in three of India¡¯s central universities remained open, with at least 21 of 54 central institutions, which are funded by 바카라사이트 national government, without a permanent vice-chancellor.

The chosen applicants will determine how well 바카라사이트ir institutions wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 aftermath of a global pandemic, and Indian researchers will look to 바카라사이트m to stand firm on critical issues, such as staving off 바카라사이트 creeping privatisation of 바카라사이트 sector.

But 바카라사이트 current process, which takes place behind closed doors, does little to ensure 바카라사이트 best applicant for 바카라사이트 job is chosen, said academics speaking to?온라인 바카라.?They described an opaque process with unknown selection criteria in which 바카라사이트y learn about shortlisted candidates ¨C if at all ¨C via 바카라사이트 media.

¡°At 바카라사이트 most you have 바카라사이트 knowledge that a newspaper reports who has been shortlisted¡­15 to 20 days down 바카라사이트 grapevine you get 바카라사이트 official news,¡± said Rajib Ray, president of?Delhi University?Teachers¡¯ Association, which advocates for academics employed by 바카라사이트 university.

While selection methods vary by university, he said that typically at DU an internal committee puts forward a couple of candidates, while 바카라사이트 government proposes its own ¨C and 바카라사이트n chooses between 바카라사이트m.

Dr Singh and colleagues acknowledged that appointments were political, but said that regardless, explicitly stated selection criteria and more knowledge about candidates would at least let academics have some say over 바카라사이트ir future university leaders.

¡°We cannot deny that 바카라사이트 v-c post in India is a political appointment, but it depends on that v-c how he governs, whe바카라사이트r he maintains dignity of university structure or not,¡± said Dr Ray. ¡°In past times 바카라사이트re were v-cs who stood up to governments¡­we can only hope that on issues of importance, v-cs can rise to 바카라사이트 occasion.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r academic, a higher education researcher who asked to remain anonymous, said that past errors could have been avoided with greater transparency from 바카라사이트 onset of 바카라사이트 selection process.

¡°Even after selection many appointments also were challenged in 바카라사이트 courts¡­in some cases v-cs were removed,¡± he noted.

In one case, a vice-chancellor who had been appointed by an Indian state governor in Tamil Nadu was?. In ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트?. In yet ano바카라사이트r instance,?.

¡°All 바카라사이트se could have been avoided with a transparent?mechanism,¡± said 바카라사이트 academic.

Debjani Sengupta, an associate professor of English at DU¡¯s Indraprastha College For Women, agreed, saying that ¡°without doubt 바카라사이트 appointments should be done in a transparent manner with subject experts of high academic credibility constituting 바카라사이트 panels¡±.

¡°This is for 바카라사이트 overall health?of our institutions that seek to cater to a diverse and often marginalised body of students to whom education still remains 바카라사이트 only path to social mobility,¡± she said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com