New Delhi: Vice-chancellors of prestigious universities and academicians have not taken kindly to Rahul Gandhi’s “baseless allegations” during Lok Sabha election campaigning that vice-chancellors are picked solely on the basis of affiliation with some organisations, instead of merit and qualification. They have written an open letter, “categorically and unequivocally discarding” the allegation. The signatories, including 181 current and former VCs, alongwith heads of regulatory authorities such as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), have sought action against Gandhi.
“It has come to our notice from tweet and open sources of Shri Rahul Gandhi, Congress Leader, that appointment of Vice Chancellors is made solely on the basis of affiliation with some organisation rather than on the basis of merit and qualification thereby questioning the merit of the process through which the Vice Chancellors are appointed. We categorically and unequivocally discard such claims,” it said.
“In view of the fact that Shri Rahul Gandhi has resorted to falsehood and has defamed the Office of the Vice Chancellors at large with the intent to derive the political mileage out of it. It is therefore, earnestly prayed that appropriate action be taken against him forthwith in accordance with law,” the VCs said.
181 Vice Chancellors and Academic leaders write an open letter opposing Rahul Gandhi’s comments on selection process of University heads- pic.twitter.com/1R9X367t5n
— pallavi ghosh (@_pallavighosh) May 6, 2024
Reacting to it, UP Congress President Ajay Rai said, “The vice-chancellors are not being appointed on their calibre and experience, but on the number of days they have worked for the ‘sangh’. Such Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers will never have transparency. They will never be loyal, true to education,” News18 reported.
Among the signatories are incumbent VCs from institutions including Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, MS University, Baroda, Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh, North East Hill University, Shillong, the president of the Association of Indian Universities, the chairperson of AICTE, former chairperson of University Grants Commission (UGC), and the director of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), among others.
The letter stated that the process by which “vice-chancellors are selected is characterised by stringent, transparent rigorous procedure grounded on values of meritocracy, scholarly distinction and integrity”.
“The selection has been completely based on academic and administrative prowess and with a vision to take universities ahead. The array of academic disciplines and professional experiences represented amongst us stands as evidence of the unbiased and inclusive nature of the selection procedure. It reflects our dedication to cultivating an atmosphere that values and promotes diversity, encourages independent thinking, and supports scholastic achievement,” it states.
The V-Cs further wrote: “In our capacity as guardians of knowledge and administrators of academia, we maintain an unwavering commitment to maintaining the utmost levels of governance integrity, ethical behaviour, and institutional integrity. We encourage productive discourse and active participation from all relevant stakeholders, as we collaboratively strive to define the trajectory of Higher education in our country. We strongly urge all individuals involved to exercise discernment in distinguishing fact from fiction, to abstain from spreading unfounded rumours, and to participate in dialogue that is well-informed, constructive, and supportive of our shared goal of creating a dynamic and inclusive educational environment. We would like to reaffirm our steadfast dedication to the principles of meritocracy, integrity, and excellence within the realm of higher education.”
#WATCH | On Vice Chancellors’ open letter opposing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the selection process of VCs, UP Congress President Ajay Rai says, “The Vice Chancellors are not being appointed on their calibre and experience but on the number of days they have worked… pic.twitter.com/ZWhfBrx97b
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024
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