The Delhi University (DU) will soon get a new Vice-Chancellor as the process for the selection has been completed.

The names of more than a dozen candidates have been discussed. Among them the most prominent names include Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor (VC), M. Jagdish Kumar, Delhi Technological University VC Yogesh Singh, A.D.N. Bajpai and Sangeeta Mishra, etc.

Apart from the DU, Vice-Chancellors of JNU, Banaras Hindu University, Central University in Assam and Rajasthan, and both central Sanskrit universities, including the VCs of about a dozen universities, are to be appointed.

The Union Education Ministry has completed the selection process for the VC appointments in many universities across the country. The names of the new VCs will be announced after the President’s assent to the proposal of the Union Education Ministry.

Earlier, in July, on the recommendation of the Union Education Ministry, the VCs of 12 different central universities were appointed. The 12 central universities for which the President Ram Nath Kovind had approved the appointments included the central universities of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad.

Apart from these, President Kovind has also approved the appointment of new VCs in the Central University of South Bihar (Gaya), Manipur University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Northeastern Hill University, Guru Ghasidas University and Bilaspur University.

Delhi Teachers Association President Hansraj Suman said that a demand has been made from the Union Ministry of Education to appoint a permanent Vice-Chancellor in the DU at the earliest. After the appointment of a permanent VC, the new education policy can be discussed. This will boost the level of quality in higher education as well as appointments of new teachers will also be possible.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that all the posts lying vacant in every central university across the country must be filled in “mission mode”.

According to the Union Minister, 6,229 posts of teachers are lying vacant in central universities. Of these, 1,012 are from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, 592 Scheduled Tribe (ST), 767 Other Backward Class (OBC), 805 Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and 350 differently-abled category posts.

According to Pradhan, now these posts will be filled in “mission mode” and all central universities must immediately come out with advertisements for the vacant posts.

The Union Education Minister said September is a teacher’s festival in a way. Giving clear instructions, the Union Minister has asked all universities that by September 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, they must come out with advertisements for the vacant posts so that they are longer vacant.