Odisha Govt Extends Tenure Of Vice Chancellors Of Six Universities

Bhubaneswar: In view of COVID-19 pandemic, the Odisha government has extended the tenure of vice-chancellors of six universities to three months.

The Higher Education department had recommended to the Governor and Chancellor of Universities for extension of the tenure of the vice-chancellors of the six universities in the exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (8) of section 6 of the Odisha Universities Act, 1989 for a period of three months from the date of completion of their respective tenure or till the joining of the newly appointed vice-chancellors, whichever is earlier.

The Chancellor has approved the recommendation for a three-month extension of the tenure of the following vice-chancellors – Atanu Kumar Pati (Gangadhar Meher University, Sambalpur), Madhumita Das (Fakir Mohan University, Balasore), Pradeep Kumar Chand (North Odisha University, Baripada), Soumendra Mohan Patnaik (Utkal University, Bhubaneswar), Amarendra Narayan Mishra (Khallikote University, Berhampur) and Padmaja Mishra (Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar).

According to a notification issued by the Office of Chancellor, such extension of tenure is being accorded with a stipulation that no policy decisions shall be made or any recruitment for teaching or non-teaching posts shall be undertaken by the incumbent vice-chancellor concerned without the prior approval of the Chancellor.

“This arrangement, which is being made under very exceptional and rare circumstances, shall not be cited as precedence on any occasion in future,” it added.