Chancellor conundrum

 The time may have come to reconsider having Governors as university Chancellors

The WB government's decision to make the CM of the state the chancellor of state-run universities, instead of the Governor, has recently got friction due to strained relations between CM Mamta Banerjee and Governor Jagdeep Dhankar. Mr. Dhankhar has alleged the appointments of VCs without the approval of the chancellor and their absence in meeting with the Governo-Chancellor. A Similar conflict has been seen in Tamil Nadu. The state has passed bills to empower CM for the appointment of VCs instead of the Governor and to establish a new university with CM as Chancellor. Both bills are still to get please from the Governor. In Kerela, it goes the other way as Governor Arif Mohammad asks CM Mr. Stalin to take over the role of Chancellor in allegation of interfering with politics in functioning universities. 

Originally, Governors were appointed as chancellors to avoid state-related politics in universities. But reports from Justice RS Sarkaria in 1980 and Justice MM Punchhi commissions in 2010 have favored the CM being the chancellor, the former acknowledging distinction between Governor's constitutional role and statutory performed as chancellor and the latter assessing that Governors should not be burdened with position and powers. It also suggested finding alternatives to protect universities' autonomy from ruling parties exercising undue means on the functioning of universities.