Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa questions change in selecting university VCs
View(s):Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised the issue in Parliament about the Government’s decision to change the criteria for the selection of university Vice Chancellors.
Mr Premadasa raised the issue on Wednesday claiming the move had caused concern among academics, but Education Minister G. L. Peiris defended the decision.
The Opposition Leader said by changing the criteria the Government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) can appoint persons according to its own wishes and the eligible people would be deprived.
He said under the new criteria a five member committee of which the majority is appointed by the UGC gives marks for the selection and only five people were selected for the next round.
In the second round on the same basis the senate provides marks and only three candidates were selected by the UGC and their names were sent to the President.
He said that the move allows the Government and the UGC to appoint people who may be politically affiliated and thereby qualified people may be deprived.
He said the Vice Chancellor appointed to the Aesthetic Studies University was not qualified in the same field. The new Vice Chancellor was reported to be qualified in the field of agriculture.
Mr Premadasa said there were issues at the Sabaragamuwa and Wayamba universities as well.
Prof. Peiris said the new criteria was transparent and a better system. He said the earlier procedure was an ad hoc system. He said the decision was made on complete records which were never available in the past.
He also said when a final decision was taken a correct decision could be taken and this was an improvement of the previous system. Under the previous system influences could be made, and the current system was an objective system.
Prof. Peiris said under the new system, first a committee was appointed and a detailed report of the candidate was prepared and there was an objective evaluation scheme for the selection.
Referring to the appointment of the VC to the Aesthetic University he said it was not a requirement for the VC have qualifications in the same field he is appointed to.