After 2-year wait, KU gets permanent V-C.

Warangal: After a prolonged wait of two years Kakatiya University has at last got a permanent Vice-Chancellor.

With the State government appointing a retired professor of Osmania University, R Sayanna, as Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University on Monday, the administration of in-charge V-C has come to end, much to the relief of the faculty and non-faculty staff alike.

It might be recalled that the KU V-C post fell vacant on May 17, 2014 as the then V-C Prof B Venkat Rathnam’s tenure ended.

Following which, the then education secretary RM Dobriyal took the charge until July 9 and he scarcely visited the university.

After Dobriyal, an IAS officer Vikas Raj took charge of the post. He neither visited the university during his tenure nor was able to spend time on the affairs of any university.

Later, on September 25, 2014, Satavahana University Vice-Chancellor Prof K Veera Reddy was made the in-charge V-C of the KU.

Prof Veera Reddy, who was ill at ease with affairs of the university once offered to quit the post. His tenure was marred by protests by research scholars during Sports Board meeting held on October 17 and damaging of vehicles and university property on January 23, 2015 by a group of students.

However, he managed to continue until April 18. Following the end of his tenure, the university again went into the hands of an IAS officer T Chiranjeevulu, who has been running the university affairs since April 23, 2015.

Prof Sayanna assumed the charge of the post here on Monday. “I am greatly indebted to my parents, especially my mother. Though they were illiterate, they ensured and made sacrifices to see that I could complete my higher studies,” he said.

Even after an undue delay, the State government has chose to act by filling up vacant V-C posts, Lok Satta Udyama Samstha state advisor Parcha Kodanda Rama Rao told The Hans India.

“The university has been known for its academic excellence in the fields of public administration, pharmacy, Telugu, English and other departments but is on decline now in terms of academics and administration. Committed and urgent efforts to put the things back on track are needed,” he added.

The bottom line is that the GO Ms. No. 34 issued by the government is subject to the outcome of the writ petition (PIL) No. 7 of 2016 pending in the High Court with regard to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors. The petition has been filed by some faculty members of OU.

By: James Edwin