Patna, Sept. 3: Raj Bhavan today constituted a committee for preparing the statutes of a search committee for appointments of vice-chancellors in universities.

The committee, formed yesterday, will be headed by Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga, VC Surendra Mohan Jha. Other members of the panel will be Patna University VC Arun Kumar Sinha, and BR Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, VC Ravi Verma.

A Raj Bhavan release stated that it exercised its power under the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976, Patna University Act, 1976, and amendments under the Nalanda Open University Act, 1995. The governor, who is the chancellor of state universities, constituted a committee, which would prepare the statutes for constitution for search committee. The committee has been given 10 days to prepare the statutes.

Quashing the appointments of VCs and pro-VCs made by former governor-cum-chancellor Devanand Konwar, the Supreme Court on August 19 ordered to constitute a search committee for selection of VCs. The committee would comprise three members — two would be appointed by Raj Bhavan while one member would be appointed by the state government. The chairman of the committee would be appointed by chancellor and he/she should be a reputable academician or scholar or a Padma awardee.

The second member of the search committee, also to be appointed by Raj Bhavan, should be director or head of nationally acclaimed institutions like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, or other premier institutions. The third member too should be an eminent academician. The search committee has been appointed on the guidelines and recommendations of University Grants Commission.

Education department principal secretary Amarjeet Sinha said: “The idea behind search committee is that persons having good academic record are appointed VCs.”

Sources said the constitution of search committee would usher in transparency in appointments of VCs and pro-VCs and it would also bring harmony in the relationship between Raj Bhavan and the state government.

Raj Bhavan today transferred Patna University registrar Vibash Kumar Yadav to Veer Kunwar Singh University, Ara, as inspectors of colleges. Sources said Yadav was shifted to Ara for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities at the university. Yadav is also facing a vigilance probe along with former Patna University VC Shambhu Nath Singh and financial officer A.K. Singh. Moreover, sources said that Raj Bhavan has also given its nod for private universities act.Daisy Narayan a postgraduate teacher at Patna University, said: “The concept of search committee is old but it is sad that it was not followed by earlier governors.”