IIMc
– PC : Amar Ujala

A professor has alleged changes in the norms of recruitment process of Vice-Chancellor of Indian Institute of Mass Communication in the national capital. 

The Union Education Ministry has recently awarded ‘deemed to be university’ status to the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had advised the Centre to make the IIMC a deemed university. 

The Ministry issued a declaration, which said IIMC-New Delhi and five regional campuses in Jammu, Amravati (Maharashtra), Aizawl (Mizoram), Kottayam (Kerala), and Dhenkanal (Odisha) will be an Institution deemed-to-be-University under distinct category.

According to Professor Dr Ashutosh Mishra, IIMC, New Delhi ( now University) authorities are still pushing the  proposed/  changed criteria of their new VC’s ( to be advertised and appointed) eligibility (academic and professional )  and experience criteria and trying to dilute to a great extent.

He alleged that IIMC , New Delhi is coming up with these poor norms (eligibility & experience wise) for Vice Chancellor and getting it approved through its Society. They are not at all looking at UGC norms for VC which is 10 years as Professor with high academic background/ Ph D, research contribution and totally lifting any  academic criteria (as proposed by the Society of IIMC).

Voting, consent, objection, abstaining from giving consent/ voting by the members (48) on this agenda (changing norms for VC of IIMC) is being carried out / has held.

Mishra urged UGC and Higher Education Ministry alongwith Ministry of Information and Broadcasting must take note on this move and

requested to stop such move to dilute the VC post’s grace. The qualification and experience for it must be  as per UGC norms for maintaining standards of educational Institutes/ University.

Dr Anupama Bhatnagar, an Indian Information Service (IIS) officer of the 1991 batch, currently serves as Vice Chancellor, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. IIMC is an independent organization under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.