Pune, Apr 10 (PTI) Amid ongoing controversies surrounding the city-based Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE), a former board member and an aspirant for the Vice Chancellor’s post has questioned the transparency of the ongoing selection process.
Interviews for the Vice Chancellor position concluded on Wednesday. The post fell vacant after economist Dr Ajit Ranade resigned, following which Dr Shankar Das, Pro-VC at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, was appointed as interim VC.
In a letter to GIPE Chancellor Sanjeev Sanyal and the University Grants Commission (UGC), Professor Manoj Kar, an aspirant to the post, demanded the suspension of the selection process.
Speaking to PTI, Prof Kar, a former member of the GIPE’s Board of Management, said after Chancellor Sanyal was reinstated by the Servants of India Society (SIS) following his brief removal, the interim VC stated that GIPE aims to promote interdisciplinarity, and the advertisement for the VC post sought applications from fields including economics, development studies, political economy, policy studies, and social sciences.
“However, they appear to have shortlisted only the candidates with economics backgrounds. I come from a public policy background and was not considered,” Kar claimed.
Further, “what was the urgency to conduct VC selection amid institutional instability”, he asked, referring to the dispute between the SIS, the parent body, and the GIPE following the arrest of the SIS secretary for an alleged fund diversion.
Information about the number of applicants or shortlisted names was not accessible, Kar said, adding “This lack of transparency raises serious concerns.” In his letter, Kar demanded suspension of the process until transparency concerns are addressed. “The institute must publish the shortlisting criteria and disclose the names of candidates considered. This is essential for ensuring fairness and credibility,” he said.
He also alleged that Dr Das, despite being an interim appointee, has made faculty appointments.
Responding to the allegations, GIPE’s communication officer Parag Waghmare issued a press statement defending the selection process. “It appears that Prof Kar was not shortlisted, and such statements often arise from personal disappointment. The Vice-Chancellor Search Committee operates independently and reports directly to the Chancellor. The Institute has no role in the committee’s functioning,” the statement read. PTI SPK KRK
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