Yet another state university in Bihar was put under additional charge on Wednesday, the latest being Pataliputra University.
Pataliputra University is the fifth university in the state to be put under ad hoc arrangement. The charge of Pataliputra University has been given to Aryabhatta Knowledge University (AKU) VC Sharad Kumar Yadav.
Yadav will assume additional charge on January 15, as the tenure of current VC RK Singh ends on January 14.
“The Chancellor, in exercise of powers vested in him, has been pleased to authorize Prof Sharad Kumar Yadav, AKU VC, to work as officiating VC of Patliputra University with effect from January 15, 2025 till the appointment of regular VC or until further orders. , whichever is earlier. This is purely a temporary arrangement,” said the notification issued by Robert L Xhongthu, principal secretary to the Governor.
In August, 2024, Raj Bhawan had handed over additional charge of three state universities till the appointment of VCs. Lalit Narayan Mithila University (Darbhanga) university Sanjay Kumar Choudhary was given the additional charge of Munger University.
In Purnea university and Nalanda Open University (NOU), the charge of VC was handed over to rhe respective Pro-VCs. Bihar Animal Science University is also under additional charge. The ad hoc arrangements are still on.
The chancellor's secretariat had invited applications for the post of VC in June 2024 itself, but the process could not be completed since then. Now there are speculations that the new Governor Arif Mohammad Khan May go in for fresh advertisement.
The term of a VC in the state universities of Bihar is three years and they have had a track record of slipping into long spells of ad hocism, with additional charge to VCs.
“None of the state universities is in good shape. That means the concerned VCs are not able to handle the universities they have been appointed at. How will they handle two or three universities. The process for VCs' appointment should begin well on time,” said former Patna university professor NK Choudhary.
