Patna, (Bihar Times): Professor Shyam Lal, former vice chancellor of Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, and former Professor of Sociology, Rajasthan University, was on Thursday appointed as the vice chancellor of Patna University. He will succeed Dr Y C Simhadri, also an outsider, who was sacked by the Chancellor, R S Gavai, early this week. He was removed after his public criticizm by the state’s human resources development minister, Brishen Patel.

Earlier, the Patna University Teachers’ Association strongly opposed the idea of an outsider as the VC. It is to be seen as to how it reacts now.

 Apart from Prof Lal the Chancellor-cum-Governor appointed new vice chancellors for three more universities. These posts have been lying vacant for the last many months.

The retired professor of Philosophy of B R Ambedkar University, Dr R P Srivastava, has been appointed as the new VC of Madhepura-based B N Mandal University. He will succeed Qamar Ahsan, who has been made the VC of Maulana Mazhar-ul-Haq Arabic and Persian University, Patna. The Pro-VC of Magadh University, Ram Pravesh Sharma,  has been made the VC of Jai Prakash University, Chapra. These names have been finalized from the panel sent to Raj Bhawan by the state government.