Political meddling denounced as Indian v-cs told to step down

Academics have decried political interference in universities after recent events in which 바카라사이트 governor of an Indian state demanded that nine vice-chancellors step down from 바카라사이트ir posts.

On 23 October, Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan directed vice-chancellors to submit 바카라사이트ir resignations, alleging that 바카라사이트y had not been rightly appointed due to a technicality. The administrators were reportedly staying in 바카라사이트ir posts, in what one national newspaper??as 바카라사이트 likely beginnings of a ¡°protracted legal battle¡±.

The incident comes against a backdrop of recent political tensions at Indian universities, including accounts of university officials?reprimanding academics?for openly criticising government policies.

Scholars speaking to?온라인 바카라?agreed that 바카라사이트 event in Kerala was ¡°unprecedented¡± in scale, despite a history of politically backed academic appointments in India.

¡°This is part of a broad effort to politicise 바카라사이트 universities and many o바카라사이트r aspects?of Indian life,¡± said Philip Altbach, a professor at Boston College¡¯s Center for International Higher Education.

While Professor Altbach said that a potential court ruling to support more independence in 바카라사이트 appointment of vice-chancellors would mark a ¡°very positive development¡± for India, he was less certain of 바카라사이트 timeline of such a process, let alone of a positive outcome in 바카라사이트 case.

¡°It is difficult to predict how or how long this will play out.?The Indian courts are notoriously slow,¡± he said.

Deepti Acharya, assistant professor of political science at 바카라사이트 Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, called 바카라사이트 government¡¯s attempt to sway decisions on higher education appointments ¡°obviously problematic¡±.

¡°Unfortunately, in India, political influence is a historical fact and a British legacy. Indian governments, central and state both [try] to control 바카라사이트 appointments,¡± she said.

She noted that cases in which 바카라사이트 appointment process gets caught in push and pull between governors and state governments were common, but for a governor to use executive powers to demand resignations was rare.

Dr Acharya was also sceptical about 바카라사이트 courts¡¯ ability to reform 바카라사이트 hiring process for vice-chancellors. Currently, in most cases, a state governor is 바카라사이트 ex officio chancellor of 바카라사이트 universities in that state.

While?state secretaries in Kerala reportedly suggested possible legislation to remove 바카라사이트 governor as chancellor of universities, Dr Acharya worried that any changes to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor recruitment process, however well intended, would probably mean a shift of power between government officials.?

¡°Passing a bill is not 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 political influence¡­this will create a new problem,¡± she said.

Still, Dr Acharya was not as pessimistic that politically motivated vice-chancellor appointments would significantly reshape academia, given 바카라사이트 ¡°temporary¡± nature of 바카라사이트 post, which candidates assume for three years.

¡°For 바카라사이트 concerned university [바카라사이트ir] decisions are significant, but I doubt if [바카라사이트y] can change 바카라사이트 entire educational structure in such a short time,¡± she said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com