Jadavpur University has empowered its pro-vice-chancellor to make decisions to maintain academic normality at a time when the officiating vice-chancellor has decided to stay away from office.
A joint faculty council, which met on Monday, took "urgent measures" as the VC has not been signing any files.
It has been resolved that henceforth the PhD examiners' panel would be finalised by the pro-VC from the list approved by the respective doctorate committees. Earlier, such a panel would be approved by the vice-chancellor.
A JU official said the pro-VC has been empowered to authorise a teacher from amongst the permanent faculty members of the departments/schools based on seniority to perform the duties of the head of the department/director of schools. Previously, the vice-chancellor would choose the heads.
It has also been resolved that the doctorate committee and faculty council meetings will be convened by the secretary of the respective faculties under the direction of the vice-chairperson of the respective faculty councils “till the absence of the vice-chancellor”.
A JU official said they had decided to approve clearing dues of various service providers through an emergency meeting of the finance committee.
"Since there is no clarity on when the vice-chancellor will resume office, we have empowered the pro-VC to take decisions on academic affairs as well," the official said.
A resolution adopted at the faculty council meeting said: "....the members felt with deep concern the unprecedented statutory crisis owing to the absence of the Vice-Chancellor to sustain the academic normalcy of the University. The members collectively opined that to run the University with some semblance of normalcy some urgent measures are required."
Manojit Mandal, the head of the English department, attended the meeting. He said it was decided that the pro-VC will approve the appointment of guest faculty members subject to ratification by the VC/EC (executive council).
"So far, the VC was empowered to take decisions on the appointment of guest faculty members.... In the absence of the VC, the power has been delegated to the pro-VC," said Mandal.
He added: "As the recruitment of permanent teachers is not happening for a few years, we have to rely on the service of the guest teachers to complete the syllabus, which has become more exhaustive with the introduction of the four-year undergraduate programme."
Partha Pratim Biswas, the head of the construction engineering department, who was also among those present at the meeting, said the power of choosing examiners for the PhD programme from the list approved by the respective doctorate committees is also with the pro-VC now.
"Or else the PhD programme would have come to a halt. The pro-VC's action would be subject to ratification by the VC. But we had to keep the process going and therefore an urgent measure was taken," Biswas told The Telegraph.
The governor removed JU officiating VC Buddhadeb Sau from the post, however, the state government said that Sau he may continue as VC. Caught in the middle, Sau said he would not go to his office. "Amid the conflicting orders I am looking forward to the Supreme Court which is hearing a case on who between the state government and the chancellor has the authority to appoint officiating VCs," Sau told The Telegraph.
A JU official said they cannot stall the academic and administrative activities till Sau gets a favourable judgment from the Supreme Court.
