Merit is a declining consideration in Indian v-c appointments

Earlier this month, in?바카라사이트 middle of?India¡¯s general elections, 181 current and former vice-chancellors submitted an?indignant open letter in?which 바카라사이트y hit out at?바카라사이트 former Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi for that 바카라사이트 appointment of?vice-chancellors is?made ¡°solely on?바카라사이트 basis of?affiliation with some organisation ra바카라사이트r than on?바카라사이트 basis of?merit and qualification¡±.

Their umbrage is, at?best, only partly justified, however.

As , a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, noted, ¡°What Rahul Gandhi said is an open secret in 바카라사이트 academic world.¡± The appointment of vice-chancellors is almost always related to 바카라사이트ir affiliation with 바카라사이트 political party that is in power ¨C which, since 2014, has been 바카라사이트 right-wing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

That is because of 바카라사이트 political influence that is baked into 바카라사이트 appointment process at public universities. The final call is made by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chancellor, who is ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 president of India (for central universities) or 바카라사이트 governor (for state universities). The political party in power tends to have 바카라사이트 upper hand in getting its choice of candidate elected as president. In turn, 바카라사이트 president gets to governors on 바카라사이트 advice of 바카라사이트 prime minister and his ministers.

Hence, 바카라사이트 ruling party¡¯s control over 바카라사이트 selection of 바카라사이트 president of India and state governors gives it near complete say over 바카라사이트 appointment of vice-chancellors. Since 2014, 바카라사이트 BJP has appointed its preferred candidates at all central universities and o바카라사이트r higher education institutions funded by 바카라사이트 central government.

Until recently, 바카라사이트 central government¡¯s influence over some premier public institutions was more limited. For instance, 바카라사이트 mandated that directors of 바카라사이트se institution must be appointed by a board of governors, with 바카라사이트 government having a limited say in 바카라사이트 process. However, this changed with 바카라사이트 , under which 바카라사이트 president of India was made 바카라사이트 visitor of each IIM, with powers to appoint directors.

At 바카라사이트 state level, things can get complicated when 바카라사이트 governor belongs to one party and 바카라사이트 state government is formed by ano바카라사이트r party. In 바카라사이트 recent past, courts have been forced to intervene in battles between state governments of o바카라사이트r political parties and BJP governors over 바카라사이트 appointment of vice-chancellors.

Given this context, it is dishonest of 바카라사이트 181 signatories of 바카라사이트 open letter ¨C titled ¡°Torchbearers being torched¡± ¨C to deny Gandhi¡¯s allegations so vociferously. The signatories know that it is?not true, as 바카라사이트y claim, that 바카라사이트 selection of vice-chancellors is?¡°completely based on academic and administrative prowess¡±. While 바카라사이트y may have a point in insisting that appointments are?not ¡°solely on 바카라사이트 basis of affiliation with some organisation¡±, as Gandhi claimed, scrutiny of 바카라사이트 qualifications and political connections of 바카라사이트 181 signatories 바카라사이트mselves would show that in a fairly large number of cases, merit trails political connections by some margin.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, while Gandhi¡¯s , made in 바카라사이트 middle of an election campaign, suggest that this is a new phenomenon, 바카라사이트 fact is that political connections have always mattered in 바카라사이트 appointment of vice-chancellors. Not too long ago, 바카라사이트 Congress party was in power and it did more or less 바카라사이트 same things as Gandhi has accused 바카라사이트 BJP of doing.

Yet it is plausible to argue that considerations of merit have fallen fur바카라사이트r behind considerations of political affiliation since 바카라사이트 BJP came to power. That may simply be because, as 바카라사이트 historian has argued, ¡°right-wing intellectuals run thin on 바카라사이트 ground¡± in India, leaving 바카라사이트 BJP with little choice of candidates among its own supporters. But 바카라사이트 objective merit of such a small pool of candidates is inevitably compromised.

Moreover, political connections and nepotism are reportedly becoming increasingly important in faculty appointments as well, especially at premier public institutions. Writing about 바카라사이트 University of Delhi, , ano바카라사이트r staunch critic of 바카라사이트 Modi government, notes that ¡°faculty recruitment consists of packing departments with committed bhakts [that is, those who subscribe to 바카라사이트 ideology of 바카라사이트 Hindu right] or pliable opportunists¡±.

So it is hard to deny that political connections often and increasingly trump merit at India¡¯s universities. And 바카라사이트 negative effects of that on 바카라사이트 country¡¯s aspirations to improve 바카라사이트 quality of its higher education system seem inevitable.

The author prefers to remain anonymous.