One of the two Bills referred to the President by the Governor, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Telangana Universities Common Recruitment Board Bill–2022 (TUCRB), has led to a tussle between the Governor and the BRS government.
The BRS government has been saying that the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of Telangana Universities, is blocking the development of Telangana by not approving the Bills.
Health Minister T. Harish Rao said that due to the Governor’s attitude, the government is unable to fill vacancies in universities.
Senior BRS leader Dr Dasoju Sravan Kumar who was once a professor and a student of Osmania University said, “Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is planning to recruit teachers for all universities through a common board. Everyone should welcome this as it would promote excellence in higher education.”
Dr Dasoju said that if there is no recruitment board, Vice-Chancellors like Prof. T. Navaneeth Rao, who was Vice-Chancellor of Osmania University, will recruit teachers who are incapable of writing even a letter in English. Most OU teachers were recruited during Navaneeth Rao’s time.
“I don’t want to name those professors and how they teach,” he said stressing the need for TUCRB. The AP media is spreading falsehood on this issue, Dr Dasoju said.
However, opposition leaders, who were educated at Osmania University, are opposing the arguments of the BRS government.
A former BJP MLC who was a student of OU said, “All universities are autonomous bodies and they should have the freedom to have their own recruitment process. So far recruitments were done as per the guidelines of the respective universities and the UGC. Now setting up a recruitment board will definitely introduce corruption in the recruitment process. Setting up a recruitment board will end the autonomy of universities as there will be government control. The government should not set up a recruitment board as that will lead to the selection of ineligible persons. The government should not interfere in universities under any circumstance.
Harish must compare Bihar universities with Telangana universities first. Does he want to convert Telangana into another Bihar? Teachers with fake certificates are recruited in Bihar. How can Harish compare TS varsities with Bihar universities? There is a District Selection Committee for hiring teachers but the BRS government has not yet issued a notification. The Telangana Universities Common Recruitment Board will become another TSPSC. KCR is trying to control universities like former Chief Minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy who tried to gain control over universities and removed the then OU Vice-Chancellor Dr DS Reddy and appointed Prof. Ramachandra Rao for not following his directions. But the court allowed Dr DS Reddy to continue.”
However, Prof. Haragopal said, “There is a huge legal process if the government wants to appoint a board. The UGC has to accept the Telangana Government’s Universities Common Recruitment Board. The government has to change laws to implement it. All universities are allowed to recruit staff. I don’t know whether courts will agree if someone challenges this Bill. The government might use this Bill to delay recruitment and gain control over universities. Universities have their own needs and VCs recruit as per needs. But if the Common Recruitment Board is set up some IAS officers will select staff. The idea of a Common Recruitment Board itself is wrong. Former CM Marri Chenna Reddy tried to set up a Common Recruitment Board but gave up the idea after universities opposed it. Instead of allowing universities to recruit staff, the government is trying to create a CRB. Nobody knows what kind of test they will conduct for recruitment. The government has to give freedom to the universities if it wants excellence.
The universities were recruiting teachers. Was there no excellence in universities in the last 75 years? I don’t know why the government wants to take away the recruitment power of universities. The government has to answer that. The government appointed VCs after coming to power. Are they excellent? Interference in universities by governments started with former CM NT Ramarao and it has now reached its peak.”
TPCC Discipline Action Committee Member and OU Alumni Association Vice-President Shyam Mohan said, “There is no need for a University Recruitment Board for recruiting teaching staff. The government must appoint committed, accomplished Vice-Chancellors like Dr DS Reddy, Prof. Ravada Sathyanarayana and Prof. G. Ram Reddy. Then universities will automatically become centres of excellence.”
