For better administration at state-run universities, the Higher Education department has decided to appoint bureaucrats as the registrar (administration).
This was one of the long-pending decision taken by the Higher Education department and even amendment was brought to Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000, about the appointment of IAS, IFS or senior grade KAS officers for the post of registrars at universities. But it was not followed in recent years.
Now, following complaints against current registrars, who are mainly professors of the universities, of pressurised appointments, irregularities and caste politics within the institutions, Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan discussed with senior officials about appointment of IAS or senior KAS officers.
Sources close to the minister confirmed this move to DH and said, "As there is a shortage of IAS and IPS officers in the state, minister directed the competent authority to get a list of trainee KAS officers who can be appointed for posts of registrars."
"For these officials, minister even planning to fix a term like vice-chancellors and they cannot be moved out before the completion of the term," said source.
The source even pointed out that several professors/faculties of state-run universities have started lobbying and approaching the minister with their profiles, and also exerting pressure through many sources to appoint them as registrars. "Appointment of bureaucrats to those posts will put an end to the lobbying for the post by academicians, and this will also help to improve the administration at universities," the source added.
It can be recalled that till 2009-10, the government used to appoint IAS, IPS or IFS officers as registrars (admin) at state universities. The then higher education minister Aravind Limbavali changed this and started appointing academicians. Then, the Higher Education department had also issued a government order and stopped the appointment of IAS and IPS officers, citing the of shortage of IAS, IPS officers in the state.