Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Feb 15: The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST), Jammu is likely to get the new Vice-Chancellor within days as the high-level Search Committee is learnt to have submitted the final panel of candidates to the Governor.
The Search Committee, headed by Dr S S Bloeria, Vice-Chancellor of the Central University Jammu, has completed its task of finalizing the panel and submitted the same to Governor N N Vohra for his approval of any one among the names as new Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST-Jammu, official sources informed the Excelsior.
The final panel was prepared after presentations of the total seven short listed candidates before the Search Committee members at ICAR Complex, New Delhi on last Thursday, sources added.
Pertinent to mention here that the Search Committee was constituted and application were invited from the interested candidates after the Governor accepted resignation of Prof Dileep Kumar Arora, the incumbent Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST-Jammu, last month.
Headed by Dr S S Bloeria, the Search Committee comprises of B R Sharma, Principal Secretary Planning and Development; Dr S Ayyappan , Secretary, Department of Agriculture Research and Education (DARE) and Director General (DG), of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Vice-Chairman of University Grant Commission (UGC).
A number of aspirants from across the country, including 15 from SKUAST-Jammu and SKUAST-Kashmir, applied for top post of the Agriculture university.
However, none of the applicants from J&K, who included Directors of Research, Directors of Extension, Registrars, Deans and Senior Professors, was even invited for presentation before the Search Committee notwithstanding their higher qualifications, research works and experiences, sources informed.
According to the sources, the applicants short listed for presentation were mostly from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) except Prof V K Suri, Professor (Soil Science), Agriculture University Palampur, HP and former Vice-Chancellor of Chander Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology (CSAUAT), Kanpur.
Dr Suri was unceremoniously removed from the Vice Chancellorship by the UP Government in 2008 before completion of his tenure.
Another short listed candidate, Dr P K Sharma, who is Additional Director General ICAR, also had to resign mid-way as Vice -Chancellor of Chander Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology (CSA UAT), Kanpur.
The other scientists invited to appear before the Search Committee for presentation, included Dr A K Singh, Zonal Project Director, Kolkata ICAR; Dr P S Manhas , Director ICAR Institute Karnal; Dr T Mohapatra Director Rice Institute of ICAR; Dr Arvind Kumar, Deputy Director General ICAR and Dr Varshney Vice Chancellor Pashu Chikitsa University Mathura UP.
Most of them are at the fag end of their career and going to retire from active services within a year or two.
The applicants from SKUAST Jammu and SKUAST Kashmir, included Dr Shafiq Wani, Plant Breeder and Director Research SKUAST-K for the last 4 years; Dr Ajay Kaul, Director Research SKUAST-Jammu; Dr K S Risam , Director Extension SKUAST-J for 6 years and having served at the ICAR for a decade as Principal Scientist and Head; Dr Hafifa Kamli, Director Extension for the last 4 years at SKUAST –K; Dr J P Sharma, Dean Agriculture, SKUAST-K; Dr B B Gupta, Registrar SKUAST-J; Dr Zaki, Registrar SKUAST-K; Dr Nazir Ahmed , Director, Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture , Kashmir ; Dr S K Gupta, Professor and Plant Breeder of repute having developed many crop varieties and Dr D P Abrol, Professor and renowned Apiculture Scientist.
However, not to speak of appointing the Vice-Chancellor from Jammu and Kashmir, the Search Committee did not even consider the locals Scientists for a presentation and interaction.
Not inviting anyone from both the Agriculture universities of the State even for interaction with the Search Committee is either a reflection of lack of talent in these universities or hegemony of the ICAR.
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