Special committee submits list of five candidates, shortlisted to be University of Mumbai’s new VC

A special committee that was appointed to select the new vice-chancellor (VC) of the University of Mumbai (MU) has shortlisted five candidates for the post. After interviews of 32 candidates concluded on Saturday, the committee handed over five names to Ch Vidyasagar Rao, the governor and chancellor of all state universities.

“After completing 28 interviews on Friday, the remaining eight candidates were interviewed on Saturday. Following this, a short meeting was conducted among the selection committee to shortlist the finalists,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

The committee had met the governor and handed over the list by 5 pm on Saturday, said the official.

On special orders, the committee has refused to share names of these five selected candidates.

Candidates vying for the post of MU’s vice-chancellor had to make a presentation before the three-member selection committee on their ideas to resolve the mess surrounding exams and results that has plagued the university for over a year.

“Since all important posts at the university are either lying vacant or filled by an ad-hoc member, the new VC also needs to be clear on how he or she plans to fill these posts,” said a senior university official.

Following the dismissal of former MU vice-chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh on October 25, 2017 over the delay in announcing results and the ensuing fiasco, the governor had set up a search committee to find a replacement. The committee is headed by K Kasturirangan, renowned space scientist and former vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University.

In November 2017, the state government nominated City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) vice-chairman and managing director Bhushan Gagrani, and the academic and management councils of the University of Mumbai in December nominated Shyam Lal Soni, director, National Institute of Technology, Uttarakhand, completing the search committee.

The governor’s office will intimate the five candidates over the next two days, and invite them for a final interaction with the governor. The final call will be taken by the governor.

“This will be an informal interaction because the selection committee has already gone through the qualifications as well as future plans of the candidates for the university,” said another official.