Vacancy for Vice-Chancellor Emerges at Sudurpaschim University

Dhangadhi: Sudurpaschim University faces a significant leadership vacuum as the position of Vice-Chancellor remains unfilled.

Chancellor and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal have intervened by appointing an Acting Vice-Chancellor to oversee the university's day-to-day operations in light of the vacant position. Karna Bahadur Thapa, currently serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Law, has been entrusted with the responsibilities of the Vice-Chancellor in the Far West region.

Under the University Act, provisions allow for the appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor for a maximum of three months in the absence of a permanent appointment. Despite initiating the process for a new appointment before the tenure of the former Vice-Chancellor, Ammaraj Joshi, concluded in the third week of February, no successor has been named.

The selection process for the Vice-Chancellor role, previously based on a competitive application system among professors, has faced delays. A committee tasked with the selection process has postponed proceedings after receiving several applications for the position.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the selection process, university professors and academicians have criticized the evaluation criteria, stating that it discourages qualified individuals from applying. A committee comprising Devraj Adhikari, Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Education Secretary Adhikari, and Poudel from the Planning Commission has been formed to oversee the appointment process in the Far West region.

As Sudurpaschim University grapples with the challenge of filling the Vice-Chancellor position, stakeholders remain hopeful for a timely and effective resolution to ensure the university's continued academic excellence and leadership.