Odisha High Court directs state govt to expedite regular V-C appointment in public universities

The Orissa High Court fixed July 23 for further hearing on the PIL stating violation of Odisha Universities Act, 1989, in the appointment of a faculty member of a university as acting vice-chancellor of Utkal University.

 

High Court attorney and Utkal University graduate Prabir Kumar Das submitted the PIL that also questioned specifically the Chancellor's notification dated May 27, 2025, appointing Professor Jagneshwar Dandapat, as in-charge V-C until a regular appointment is effected.

 

A division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice MS Raman was concerned with Section 6(10) of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2024 - notified on April 17, 2025 - which now authorizes the Chancellor, in consultation with the state government, to make any vice-chancellor of a public university in the state the acting V-C, rather than limiting the option to V-Cs of bordering universities.

 

The bench observed that the newly incorporated amendment provides for a one-year maximum period (inclusive of extensions) for such interim arrangements. The bench also took cognizance of a recent Supreme Court instruction to make permanent V-C appointments at the earliest, and the state has already begun the process.

 

Appreciating the state’s intent to rectify the issue, the court underscored the need to strictly adhere to the statutory provisions. Advocate general Pitambar Acharya assured the bench that he would personally review the matter to ensure compliance with the law.

 

The court has instructed the state to make proper corrective measures prior to that. On June 24, the court had noted that Section 6(8) of the Act permits the Chancellor to extend the outgoing V-C's tenure for a maximum of six months, yet the existing notification did not fulfill this requirement.

 

Prime facie, the question raised has to be decided finally, as this may become a repeated feature in other universities too," the bench observed. Utkal University has been functioning without a regular vice-chancellor since November 24, 2024, after the term of the earlier incumbent expired.