Acharya gives Bangalore University convocation ceremony a miss

Karnataka state higher education minister and pro-chancellor of the state universities was conspicuous by his absence at the 46th annual convocation of Bangalore University (BU) held on Tuesday.

The convocation hall was abuzz with speculations as to why the minister did not make it to the event when the date was finalised almost a month ago by cross-checking all his engagements.

Adding to the speculation was the fact that Acharya was just half a kilometre away from the venue when the convocation took place.
Sources in the university and higher education department attributed the minister’s absence to the difference of opinion between university V-C N Prabhu Dev and Acharya regarding the bifurcation of BU and shifting University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) to VTU.

Dev, supported by many academicians, had strongly opposed the bifurcation of BU. However, the government clarified that there was no question on bifurcation and it was going to create a new university. “The V-C is opposing the handing over of UVCE to VTU. There was difference of opinion in this regard. This is the main reason for the minister’s absence,” said a source in the higher education department.

When DNA contacted, Acharya reasoned that he was busy with some sudden engagement. “A delegation from Germany’s Bavaria state had come and I had to receive them on behalf of the chief minister. So, I was busy with that work,” he said.