Student leaders have demanded an inquiry into the validity of the selection of Ami Upadhyay as the in-charge vice-chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar University. Upadhyay is not the only vice-chancellor in the state whose credentials have been questioned.
There are five other VCs in large government universities whose credentials have been questioned earlier, but the state government has not taken any action against them.
The VCs in question include Himanshu Pandya of Gujarat University, V K Srivastava of M S University, Harshad Patel of the Indian Institute of Teacher Education (IITE), Harshad Shah, whose term as VC of the Children’s University ended recently, and Chetan Trivedi of Bhakta Kavi Narsinh Mehta University (BKNMU) in Junagadh. Trivedi’s term as VC expired recently, but he has been appointed acting VC at the same university.
These VCs also face allegations similar to those against Ami Upadhyay. Many have been accused of not having the minimum required qualification prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The National Students Union of India (NSUI), the students’ wing of the Congress, recently wrote a letter to the chief minister regarding Upadhyay’s appointment.
The members alleged Upadhyay who was not even a professor was appointed as an in-charge VC.
In March 2022, in an important order, the Supreme Court quashed the appointment of the vice-chancellor of Sardar Patel University, Shirish Kulkarni, after he was found not to have adequate teaching experience to hold the crucial post.
Sources said these vice-chancellors do not have the academic qualifications and experience.
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