The deadlock between the Raj Bhavan and the state government on the amendment bill for the appointments of Vice-Chancellors of Agriculture and Horticulture Universities of Himachal Pradesh has ended. Now the appointment of Vice Chancellors of these two universities will be on the advice of the state government. Governor Shiv pratap Shukla had a consultation with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on this bill a few days ago. After this the Governor agreed to it with some conditions. Now, apart from the representatives of Raj Bhavan, University Grants Commission (UGC) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), there will also be a representative from the state government in the committee recommending the appointment.
As of now the Himachal Pradesh Agricultural, Industrial and Forestry Universities Act 1986 is applicable to two universities in the state. This Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar is from Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur and Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan. The Sukhu government had got a bill passed in this regard in the House during the monsoon session of the Assembly held in September last year. After the bill was passed in the Assembly, it was sent to the Governor for approval. He kept it to himself.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla wanted to talk to Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on this bill. According to sources, both of them have discussed this issue recently. After this, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla has approved it with some conditions. Shukla has clarified that as per the amendment, there is no harm in making the representative of the state government a part of this committee, but he should have a background in agriculture and horticulture and should be of the level of Vice Chancellor.
This is the logic for changing the law
The argument for changing this law has been that the state government gives the budget to both the universities, but according to the Act, the government has no interference in the appointments of Vice-Chancellors. The democratically elected government has no role. With this amendment, a provision has been made to give the government the power to select the Vice Chancellor. Under the amended Act, the state government will now be able to make rules for this.
