University Grants Commission changes regulations for appointment of V-Cs, which mandated a person with a minimum of 10 years of experience be appointed as the V-C of the state university. (Photo: DC/File)

Hyderabad: Five Telangana State universities remain headless even after three months of the formation of the state, while two others will soon join the list. The Telangana government has not yet issued notifications inviting eminent members to the search committee for appointment of Vice-Chancellors.

Senior education department officials say the issue is held up at the CMO for the last two months due to the recent changes in the University Grants Commission regulations for appointment of V-Cs, which mandated a person with a minimum of 10 years of experience be appointed as the V-C of the state university.

UGC had amended its regulations last year, stating that “The Vice Chancellor to be appointed should be a distinguished academician with a minimum of 10-year experience as professor in a university system.”

Academicians say that the clause was brought in to prevent politicians from appointing their aides as V-Cs. Regulations mandate the government to first constitute a search committee of eminent persons through a public notification. That has not been done till now. It is learnt that this same eligibility clause has held up the process of appointment of V-Cs to universities in the state.

Sources said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao wants persons loyal to the Telangana movement to be in-charge of state universities, but violation of UGC norms could result in loss of grants. Vikas Raj, secretary, Higher Education, Telangana, said, “State bifurcation is an extraordinary situation, so some delay can be allowed.”