In the last 16 years, only one vice chancellor (VC) of the University of Pune (UoP), Ashok Kolaskar (2001-2006), has completed his five-year tenure.
In the last 16 years, only one vice chancellor (VC) of the University of Pune (UoP), Ashok Kolaskar (2001-2006), has completed his five-year tenure. Besides, five VCs have held the chair at the UoP including the current incumbent, Sanjay Chahande, in the last five years.
This assumes significance as the state higher and technical education ministry is planning to make all future VCs sign a five-year service bond. Senior professors associated with the varsity have said that these rapid exits of consecutive VCs have affected the long-term development plans of the UoP and resulted in many projects being stalled.
Bhushan Patwardhan, vice chancellor, Symbiosis International University (SIU) and former director of UoP’s Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, said that the bond would not resolve the issue of lack of commitment.
“More than the bond, commitment and involvement with the varsity are important. Unfortunately, the UoP has suffered long-term damage because of repeated early exits of VCs. This is a serious issue for the varsity because there is no clarity on policy matters,” Patwardhan said.
Arun Adsool, former acting vice chancellor, who took over after the sudden exit of former VC, Dr Narendra Jadhav, agreed that administrative work and policy decisions take a major hit due to the sudden departure of the head of the varsity.
“My case was unique, as I was then the pro-VC and had held every senior position in the varsity. Hence, I faced no difficulty in holding the chair. But for someone who is coming from outside or has not been assisting the VC it will be impossible to take any policy decisions for a few months at least,” Adsool said.
Adsool recalled how a project started by Dr Narendra Jadhav, Samarth Bharat Abhiyaan, under which every college had to adopt a village, got shelved after no follow-ups were done with colleges post his exit. Pandit Vidyasagar, head of physics department, agreed that many people have come and gone without serving their tenures and sometimes good ideas get lost in the process.
“If VCs serve their full tenure, they can ensure that some good projects and administrative changes are brought in for the betterment of the varsity,” he said.
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