President asks Gopa Sabharwal to demit office of Nalanda University VC on Nov 24
Patna,(BiharTimes): President Pranab Mukherjee, in his capacity as the visitor of Nalanda University, on Monday dissolved the Nalanda Mentors Group (NMG), the de-facto Governing Board of Nalanda University. He also overruled the NMG’s decision to extend the term of vice-chancellor Gopa Sabharwal. She has been asked to demit office on November 24.
“The President, in his capacity as the visitor of Nalanda University, has approved the constitution of the governing board of the university in accordance with Section 7 of the Nalanda University Act, 2010,” sources were quoted in the newsportal, The Wire.
As per the 2010 Act, the new 14-member governing board will be chaired by
the chancellor and will include the (acting) vice-chancellor, along with five members nominated by India, China, Australia, Laos PDR and Thailand.
Former revenue secretary N. K. Singh, who was also member of the Nalanda
Mentors Group, will represent India.
Besides, the government has nominated Arvind Sharma of McGill University,
ICCR president Lokesh Chandra and Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya to the governing board for the three seats reserved for ‘Renowned Academicians/Educationists’.
The other members will be Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, an additional secretary-rank official from the human resources development ministry, and two members representing the Bihar state government.
Further, according to the same report, the President on Tuesday ordered the senior-most Dean of the > University to temporarily discharge the duties of the vice-chancellor upon “completion of the extended term” of the current incumbent.
“This will be a stop-gap measure until the new vice-chancellor is appointed,” said sources.