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States » NorthPosted at: May 11 2025 1:48AM


VC Dr Rajeshwar Chandel gets extension amid appointment row at Nauni Horticulture University

Shimla, May 10 (UNI) Dr Rajeshwar Singh Chandel would continue to hold the charge of Vice Chancellor of Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, even after the expiry of his three-year term on May eight.

The extension was granted through a notification issued by the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, who is also the Chancellor of the university.
Dr Chandel was appointed as Vice Chancellor on May six, 2022, for a term of three years. An alumnus of the same university, he holds a PhD in entomology and has earlier served in various academic and administrative capacities.
The notification cites sub-section (3) of section 24 of the Himachal Pradesh Universities of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Act, 1986, to justify the extension.
According to this provision, the incumbent VC can be asked to continue in office until a new appointment is made.
As of now, no search committee has been constituted, nor has the post been advertised to invite applications from eligible candidates.
However, the extension has triggered a fresh controversy. Sections of the Youth Congress have questioned the legality of the move, pointing out that the High Court had recently passed strict directives in a related case.
In that case, a professor from Nauni University, Dharam Pal Sharma, had filed a petition challenging Chandel’s original appointment, terming it a violation of the University Act.
The High Court had ruled that any appointment—regular or officiating—must strictly follow the provisions of the Act.
Critics argue that the same legal principle applies now and that extending the VC’s term without initiating the proper selection process goes against the spirit of the court’s order.

They claim the extension is unconstitutional and reflects the ongoing tussle between the Raj Bhavan and the state government over university appointments.
The government, under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has already expressed concern over political interference in such appointments and had even passed a bill seeking greater say in university administration.

With the appointment process still in limbo, all eyes are now on whether the state would push for a fresh selection or let the Governor’s decision stand uncontested.
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Tags: #VC Dr Rajeshwar Chandel gets extension amid appointment row at Nauni Horticulture University
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